Light's Sojourn
by G'ma Jloran
Summary: Light and Darkness, two forces that are opposite but are always drawn together. That's how it is for Yami and his hikari, Yugi. So what happens when Yugi decides to strike out on his own and doesn't tell his Yami? Nothing but trouble. YAOI, rating change.
1. In the Arms of Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! I just own my originals, even though they deny everything.  
  
Light's Sojourn  
  
Prologue: In the arms of Darkness  
  
A/N: Okay, this is my first attempt at writing a Yu-gi-oh! yaoi, so please don't flame me for this. And for those that are against this sort of thing, if you don't like it, then there's no reason to be reading this. Any flames from people like that will be ignored. Also, I really don't do character bashing in my fics unless they're ones that I really, really HATE, so don't expect anything that isn't crucial to the story from me.  
  
Pairings: YY/Y, R/YB, and M/YM. Any others are still in debate and will be decided later on.

Yami to Yugi

{Yugi to Yami}

Nestled amidst silken sheets of a stone chamber in the heart of a place known only as the Shadow Realm, the dark spirit known as Yami stared upon his smaller lover. A fragile and beautiful creature that was the most precious and guarded of his possessions. A little one who could look upon his deep crimson with the purest amethyst and never know the fear that so many others did. Someone who loved him for who and what he was, even when he had to handle matters in less than pleasant methods.  
  
To him, that made all the difference and thanks to that trait, there was nothing in the world mattered as much as the delicate little one that he held in his arms. For this creature, so pure and innocent, he would give anything to bring happiness to. For in doing so, he would bring joy to his dark and pathetic world enough that it would ease the sorrow that being a shadow often brought.  
  
Then again, that was how it was supposed to be, wasn't it? The darkness, composed of loneliness, the unknown, fear, and perhaps a touch of evil in the eyes of some, was supposed to yearn for something that could bring relief. That relief was found in the innocence of darkness's opposite, the light. Light would relieve darkness's pain and in return, the darkness would provide and protect.  
  
And provide and protect he did. Whatever his little light wanted, then the darkness would get it for him. If it were to be a kingdom, then he would slaughter legions of nobility to create one for his light to reign upon. If his light didn't want something like that and instead desired riches, then he would put all his other resources to the test in order to bring the greatest jewels, platinum, gold, and silver for his light's eyes to feast upon. This and more, if it would bring even the smallest of smiles to his light's face.  
  
Thankfully, the light was never so vain as to want all of these things. His light was an extremely humble creature that preferred the simpler things that life had to offer. He would rather spend his time out in a garden picking flowers or just being in the arms of his lover as they sat in each other's company.  
  
The latter, undoubtedly, was also among the dark one's favorite activities as well. He loved being able to hold his little light, to feel the soft strands of his hair against strong hands as they stroked blended gold, crimson and ebony. To know the sensation of aroused shivers as he caressed the pliant and alabaster skin that so often blushed at his tender touch. To kiss those sweet, intoxicating lips whose taste always drove his senses wild beyond reason.  
  
Just the thought of such things immediately aroused the dark and made him wish that his little light were awake now. Then he would have a chance to do all of those things and more. Sadly, he knew that wasn't possible no matter how much he might want it to be. If his aibou were awake right now, then he wouldn't be able to watch the little one lying in peace and he would be depriving his loved one of his much needed rest.  
  
So just contented himself with knowing that once his aibou was awake and alert, then they would be able to do everything as he wished. His light would certainly have nothing to complain about then. He never did. He always complied with the wishes of his darkness when they were alone in their chambers, just as the former complied with his in everything else.  
  
A small whimper drew him out of his reverie and caused him to seek out the source that was closer than one might expect. Next to him, the little one he held whimpered lightly in his sleep. Tossing and turning every now and then, he unconsciously sought to evade whatever distressed him by burrowing deeper into his yami's embrace.  
  
It didn't take even a moment for him to figure out just what was happening. His little hikari was caught in a bad dream yet again, something that irked and worried Yami to no end. It was beyond him where these unexpected visions came from. He certainly never allowed the little one to look upon such things that would upset him so much. He knew the effects that these would have upon a delicate psyche and took great pains to even remove their knowledge from his precious one's daily life. Something that he impressed upon everyone in his service to do, which most obeyed without question.  
  
Those that didn't, well, it was best to say that they met with the nastiest side of Yami's temper. Exactly what his temper led him to do to the offenders was mostly unknown to anyone but Yami, since no one really survived long enough to tell the tale afterwards. The only things that were known about the situation is that it often tended to be lengthy and extremely brutal.  
  
When it came to dealing with his hikari on a personal basis, Yami was anything but brutal. With him, the dark spirit was always gentle but stern when necessary. Something he demonstrated unconsciously as he cradled the little one against his chest and started to rock them both back and forth in an effort to soothe him. It was a motion that he had had to do on many occasions, so there was no flaw in his movements as he continued with his task. And soon, with an added bit of gentle coaxing on his part, he would have more than the desired effect.  
  
With the delicateness of a butterfly, he proceeded to kiss the little one with a tenderness only the most devoted of lovers could hope to possess. He started at the forehead, brushing away golden bangs so that he might touch the silken skin beneath with his lips. From there, he moved down to the pale cheeks and tender skin of the neck. When these were touched, he felt familiar shivers of pleasure run through both him and the little one.  
  
He went no further than that for the moment. If he did, then it most likely lead to him losing control and actually waking his hikari so that they could play a 'game'. So again, he just contented himself with continually kissing his hikari's face and neck for the moment.  
  
Yet despite all the tender and loving motions that Yami had given him, the little one still remained caught in whatever nightmare was tormenting. It wasn't as extreme as some of the others that Yami had sensed in him before. This was considered somewhat mild compared to those. But it was still enough to cause him distress and that in turn caused Yami distress because his light was upset.  
  
He wasn't exactly sure just what his hikari was seeing at the moment, though he could have if he really wanted to. Thanks to their strong bond, it was relatively easy for Yami to peer into his hikari's inner thoughts whenever he wished. With this, he could understand everything about his lighter counterpart and his psyche even before the little one could.  
  
This was an advantage in itself, but one that Yami did not often employ. He knew that hikaris were very trusting creatures that saw the decency in all beings and that they could forgive almost anything done to them. But break their trust, even once, and it would be enough to make them wary for the rest of eternity. For a yami, the one who was connected so deeply with a hikari, that was not a scenario that one wished into existence.  
  
So Yami only used this tactic when there was no other open option. And since prying into a bad dream really didn't merit him doing that, no matter how much he might want to, this was a time that he would have to rely on other methods to help him figure out what was wrong. One these, actually one of the more effective ones, was a bit similar to peering into his hikari's mind but involved only words and emotions flowing through their link.  
  
Shh. It's all right, little hikari. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a dream, nothing more. It can't hurt you. I promise it won't, he whispered gently into his lover's mind.  
  
These silent words, as they did in many situations, helped to bring a final calm over the little one once his drowsy mind heard them. The last few pained whimpers he had been emitting were finally silenced and were replaced by a sense of content and trust that radiated along the mental link they shared. This in turn brought relief to Yami's own mind, which he sent back without hesitation along with every ounce of affection that he could muster.  
  
The affection was returned just as readily by the little one, who was now starting to partially wake. He stirred again against the one that held him. A pair of eyes opened halfway to reveal deep amethyst that looked up at Yami with sleepy adoration as a gentle smile crossed his face.  
  
{Yami, you're here} a small voice said over their link.  
  
Of course I am. Where else would I be? his companion questioned.  
  
{I don't know. I just couldn't find you. You were gone} Yugi answered.  
  
I've been right here the whole time, hikari. I told you that what saw was just a bad dream, Yami said gently, It's nothing for you to worry about.  
  
{But it felt so real} his light protested.  
  
Yami sighed. That was the problem with the dreams that his little light had. Regardless of whether they were good or bad, there was always a certain degree of reality to them that could convince the little one that the images seen were true. When this happened, it sometimes took a great deal on Yami's part to show him that what he saw was nothing more than a figment of his imagination.  
  
Taking Yugi's petite hand into his own, Yami placed it palm down against his chest. Then he did the same with his own by placing it against Yugi's small chest. Beneath sensitive palms, it was possible for each to feel the rhythm of the other's heartbeat. In perfect synch, the set was strong and steady, pulsing with the immortal energy that was theirs.  
  
This is the only reality that you need to believe in, aibou. The one that connects us for all time. No dream can ever compare to that, never, Yami said.  
  
Yugi blushed slightly at his dark one's words. Yami always knew how to speak the truth and still seem a bit romantic at the same time. It made him feel better that his other half was there and would speak that way for him. It was then that he knew a vast part of the love that Yami felt for him and that he was safe with the dark one that so many others would fear.  
  
Of course I love you, little one, Yami chuckled warmly in his mind, How could I possibly not? You're my hikari, my aibou, and the one that I would give anything for. I wouldn't trade having you for anything. You're mine.  
  
Again, his lover couldn't help but blush at Yami's words and at his mistake. Without really meaning too, he had left his side of the link wide open. So it had been easy for Yami to pick up on the last few thoughts that had been running through Yugi's mind. It really wasn't such a big deal, but it certainly left the hikari open for more of his counterpart's soothing comments that made Yugi blush so much.  
  
As adorable as he thought Yugi looked in such a state, Yami decided that it would be a good idea to get his hikari back to sleep. Doing so would allow them both to forget the disturbance and to be prepared for the coming tasks. Besides, there would be time enough later for Yami to watch his little one blush the next time they were alone in their chambers.  
  
It's nothing that you need to worry about right now, aibou. Just go back to sleep. It will help you feel better, Yami coaxed.  
  
{Are you sure it won't just make it worse, Yami? It didn't help the last time} Yugi complained.  
  
I'm sure, aibou, Yami chuckled in his mind,I won't let it happen.  
  
{You won't?} Yugi said hopefully.  
  
I promise that I won't let it bother you again, hikari mine. Now go back to sleep, Yami promised.  
  
{Okay} Yugi said quietly.  
  
Smiling in relief, the little one snuggled closer to the one that held him for warmth and security as he started to drift off to sleep again. More than willing to oblige his companion, Yami simply held him more tightly. He smiled himself as he did so, glad that he was able to help his little one in any way that he could. To him, that always meant that things were right in their world and that everything would go smoothly from there.  
  
He sat there for a moment, continuing to watch his little hikari like he had been doing before the nightmare had provided an unwanted but somewhat welcomed distraction. It still amazed him that someone so innocent and beautiful could ever love him. But then, that was how fate worked, wasn't it? One moment you were expecting it to give you one thing and fate ended giving you something that you least suspected but needed even more.  
  
In his case, it was being given someone who loved him without question and who would continue to do so throughout eternity. For Yami, there was no greater gift possible. Something that he would forever be grateful for towards the forces that had brought them both into being.  
  
You're my treasure, Yugi. Never forget that or that I love you, little hikari, he sighed as sleep once again began to claim his mind.  
  
A/N: Well that's it. It may not be the best work that I've done, but it's passable enough. Thanks to DemonKitty, my beta, for helping me get this into shape. I'm working on future chapters, but if I don't get a very good response to this, I'll probably remove it for revision or just leave it off. Thanks to everyone who read this and thank you for your time. 


	2. Trouble Arises

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 1: Trouble arises

A/N: I'm sorry that it took so long to make an update, but I had to basically redo most of the work from scratch. One of my idiot friends got a hold of the disk I had the most recent copy saved on and erased it so they could get some stupid screenshots. So after basically strangling the baka, I had to rewrite a lot of this from memory and guesswork. Which is why some personalities have changed slightly from before and why this chapter is a lot shorter than the previous one. But don't worry, Chapter 2 is mostly complete and will be a lot longer than this one when it's posted in April.

Pairings: YY/Y, YB/R, YM/Y and all others are still in debate.

Yugi to Yami

Yami to Yugi>

In a world of shadows where light was almost virtually nonexistent, there was no concept of morning. Inhabitants slept and awoke according to the cycles of their bodies, as it had been for as long as anyone could remember. It was a system that worked, so there was no reason to question it. And it was how one of the few true Lights of the Shadow Realm opened his eyes when he finally awoke from a slumber that had finally become peaceful.

His violet eyes took a few moments to fully open, as he was still caught between the world of waking and the world of sleep. It was such a temptation to just return to the latter thanks to the warmth that fully embraced him. Then he wouldn't have to worry about the troublesome matters of stretching and chasing away the remaining strands of innocent dreams that still danced in the corners of his mind. It was so much easier just to stay like this, even though he knew that he really couldn't.

The one he slept next to didn't have the luxury of remaining with him endlessly at the moment. There were important matters that needed his attention soon if they were to be resolved before any trouble could get started. Just what these matters might be were unknown to him. All he knew was that news of trouble had come just before his lover had retired to join him in their chambers.

The news had been enough to disturb his lover to the point where he had been oddly silent during most of their private time together. Normally he would at least talk about part of how his duties had gone or just ask how he himself had been during his absence. But this time, the most that he would tell his hikari was that some sort of accident had just barely been averted. Then before Yugi could question him further, he had gathered the smaller into his arms and held him as close as possible while reclining on his favorite sofa before they finally went to bed.

The action itself was not unwelcome, as the hikari loved nothing more than to snuggle up with his yami. But it did cause him to wonder just what had disturbed his other half so badly that he wouldn't even talk about it. In his entire existence, Yugi had seen and known of very few things that could cause Yami such distress. When they had, it had usually been something that threatened more than just the safety of Yami's territory. It had been enough to threaten the Shadow Realm as a whole in those times.

Times when rogue Monsters and other forces chose to rise above their stations and challenge the power of the yamis who had been the lords and masters of the Shadow Realm since it had first come into existence. Wars would start during those times, often brutal beyond imagining, with bloodshed and hatred constantly fueling the fires of many warmongers' greed.

All circumstances that Yugi had never seen for himself, but knew existed nonetheless. And just the thought of his lover having to face something like that was enough to make him cuddle closer to Yami and embrace him tightly in self-reassurance. For a moment, he just wanted to know that Yami was next to him and safe. By doing so however, he finally drew the one next to him out of slumber and into the waking world like himself.

_ Hello hikari> _Yami smiled as moved to stretch a bit.

_Hi Yami_ Yugi blushed.

Moving to nuzzle his cheek against Yugi's, the larger asked, _Did you sleep better, little one?>_

_Yes _Yugi answered.

_Now didn't I tell you that going back to sleep wouldn't be so bad? _Yami gently teased.

_Uh-huh_ Yugi said.

_ As long as I'm here, you needn't worry> _Yami promised as he pulled away from his hikari, _But there is something that we need to discuss, little one.>_

_Hmm? What's that, Yami?_ Yugi asked.

_ I'm afraid that I can't stay to share first meal with you, little one. I have some business that I have to attend to first> _Yami explained.

A pout formed almost instantly on Yugi's face at hearing that. He knew that it wasn't unusual for Yami to have to leave him to go attend something when they first woke up, that was a given for their lifestyle. What Yugi didn't like was that it came without warning and interrupted their private time for first meal. It was one of the times when it was just supposed to be them, no one else.

Next to him, Yami couldn't help but smile at the slight pout that formed on his hikari's face. No matter what he did, the little one always found a way to appear even more adorable and desirable than before. It was one of the things that he loved best for his Aibou and what made him wish that he could spend every second with his counterpart. But for now at least, he knew that it wasn't possible. He had too much planned for today for him to just stay in bed with his aibou right now.

That wasn't to say that they wouldn't get a chance for some one-on-one time. It was still some time away of course, but he already had a few ideas dancing around in his head that he would be eager to try out. As they usually did, most in the forms of games whose play would eventually end in one thing. Something that made Yami ache for immensely just by thinking about it and watching the delectable little one next to him.

Forcing the thought down took a great deal on Yami's part, but he reminded himself that business sometimes has to come before pleasure. And right now was one of those times, so the sooner he completed the business, the sooner he could get to the pleasure. So first he could placate his pouting hikari, then he would head off to handle what needed to be done.

Leaning forward and kissing him gently on the forehead, Yami promised," It won't take me very long, little one. I just have a few things to sort out and when I'm done, then it will just be the two of us. All right?"

"Okay," Yugi nodded reluctantly.

"Good," Yami said as he slid from under the covers," Now why don't you go ahead and have first meal? Then you can start on that new puzzle that the Dark Magician Girl found for you. I'm sure if you have just that on your mind, you won't even miss me."

"All right," Yugi replied.

Smiling gently, Yami then gave Yugi another kiss on the forehead and then slid out of bed. Striding over to the wardrobe, he selected his usual attire of a white tunic, deep violet, sandals and bits of gold jewelry that he wore on his arms, around his neck, and forehead. He then began to change from the tunic that he had slept in beforehand and into the chosen attire. It was a process that took him no more than a few moments and done in the full view of his hikari.

Not that it was anything new to the pair. They were completely used to seeing one another in such states and it was nothing for them to worry about. So while Yami dressed, Yugi just sat there watching calmly and wondering just what his darkness would have to do once he left. Something told him that the business Yami had to take care of had to do with the news that he had received earlier, but it was impossible to be sure unless his darkness chose to tell him outright or he just found another source of information.

Yugi briefly forgot about figuring out just what his lover had to do when said beloved finished dressing. At a single glance, anyone would have to admit that Yami was the picture of regal glory. His clothing and jewelry enhanced the natural aura of power that he gave off, making him seem far superior to those around him. It was a sight that always warmed Yugi's soul, as he knew that this was both his protector and lover for eternity.

Already knowing what his little one was thinking, Yami gave him a gentle smile. Like the other, he was well aware of the image that he gave off and he was thrilled that it made Yugi proud of him. It was always a sign that his world was still right and that there was just a little less for him to worry about. But for the things that remained, he still had many to attend to before he was completely free of trouble for the time. So with a final, loving smile at his lover, Yami turned and left.

He strode out of the bedchamber and out into the adjoining corridor. A low groan signaled that one of the only two pairs of metal doors leading to their personal chambers from the outside opened for the dark one as he came near. Seconds later there was a dull bang as the doors closed again after his departure. From there, he would go down the long corridor to be met by his Monsters and then they would go to the Meeting Hall to discuss matters.

Still within the bedchamber, Yugi could feel his lover's physical presence grow fainter and fainter through their link. Soon he was only able to feel Yami's mental echoes and these were limited to strong emotion alone since he had blocked off part of his side of the connection. On Yugi's end, he may have wanted more than just a mental presence, but he was willing to be satisfied with what he had for the moment.

So with a reluctant sigh, Yugi decided that there was no point in staying in bed anymore. He may as well get up as well and get on with his own business. After all, it was the only real way he was going to pass the time without becoming incredibly bored until Yami returned. So getting out of bed, he followed the same process that Yami had a few moments before.

It didn't take him long to go to his own wardrobe and choose a simple tunic of beige with a single gold tassel trim around the hem. He changed into this quickly, discarding his old one in a hamper where the servants would see to its cleaning later. Once he was done, Yugi headed towards the dining area of the chambers. There he would find a single table set for two.

Food would have already been set out by his own personal servant who lived in one of the adjoining chambers. If it were under normal circumstances, then there would be more than enough for Yami and himself. At times like this however, when Yami had business and had left orders beforehand on how much to prepare, then there was just enough to satisfy Yugi's hunger.

This time though, Yugi really didn't have much of an appetite. Instead, he just sat silently at his place, picking at the food that had been set out for him. He ate a little bit, knowing that Yami always insisted that he at least eat something to keep up his strength, but the majority of his food remained untouched. It would probably be taken by his servant or one of the others later on once they came to see if anything needed to be cleaned.

When he left his food, Yugi wandered aimlessly through their private chambers in search of the puzzle that Yami had suggested he work on. It wasn't something he felt particularly interested in right now, as it would only be a distraction at best, but it would help Yugi think more clearly about the problem at hand. He knew that there was more to what was happening than Yami had let on. He always did whenever something like this came up.

Yugi knew that Yami acted the way he did because he was trying to protect his hikari from the harsher facts of life. He had done that almost from the beginning and it was something that Yugi had adjusted to without realizing at first. As the ages wore though and he gained a better insight of what went on around him, he also realized just how foolish that sort of attitude could be. He knew that extreme ignorance was one of the worst things that a person could allow themselves to fall into. It left them ill prepared for any challenges that life might throw in their direction and that always had dire consequences in the end.

As he finally came across his puzzle and then settled onto a small sofa near the balcony, Yugi knew that there was always the possibility of that happening to him despite all the meticulous protections that Yami laid out for him. Which was why he kept wishing that Yami would be more open with him when trouble came up. Then he wouldn't have to worry about these things or the situation itself being the only secret that he had ever kept from Yami.

While Yugi sorted through this dilemma, he failed to notice a figure that was steadily approaching him. It came from behind at first, slowly working its way through all the furniture and the shadows that they cast. Then it moved off to the side, eventually hiding itself just under the table that was before the sofa where Yugi sat. For a moment, it tensed, waited, and then struck.

"BOO!" the figure cried.

"Gah!" Yugi yelped, falling backwards onto the cushions behind him.

For a moment or so, Yugi lay there in a daze. He had been so intent on his thoughts that the sudden appearance and cry had startled his mind completely. So it took a little while for his senses to return to normal. While he lay there though, a shadow appeared overhead as the one that had startled him made another appearance.

Amusement twinkled openly within the depths of a deep onyx orb that watched when Yugi finally struggle to get up, more than giving away that the owner had scared him intentionally. Not out of malice of course, but enough that anyone could tell that it was a joke that had been well played to the fullest extent. And it was that more than the fact that he had been scared in the first place that annoyed Yugi the most.

"Solitaire," Yugi complained as he sat up again," I thought you said that you weren't going to do that anymore!"

The one known as Solitaire only flashed a fang-filled grin in reply. One onyx eye watched Yugi with a mischievous glint showing while azure hair-like spikes that ran down her back covered the other up. She raised a webbed paw to push the loose spikes back and place them behind her ear. It did little good though, since the spikes simply fell back into their previous position seconds later. But it did allow one a brief glimpse of the second eye, which showed just as much amusement as the first.

"Sorry Yugi. It was just too hard to resist," Solitaire chuckled.

The Hikari just sent her another glare or as close to one as he could manage. To be honest, he really wasn't that angry with the newcomer for what she had just done. She had done it often enough in the past, so he was used to it at this point. His present mood just didn't allow him to feel much amusement towards anything.

So with a defeated sigh, Yugi just replied," Never mind, Solitaire."

With that, he turned his attention back to one of the two puzzles that he had been working on. The first, the one that he had been working on by hand, now lay forgotten in his grasp as Yugi fell into deep concentration. He still couldn't figure out what was going on with Yami. It was unlike the dark one to keep secrets, especially from his soulmate and lover. So what was going on with his darkness?

Yugi was broken out of his contemplation when he felt a weight on his hands. Looking down, he saw that Solitaire was sitting at his feet. She had placed one of her paws on his hands, keeping him from fiddling anymore with the nearly forgotten puzzle, and thus getting his attention. The expression that she gave him was one of worry and anxiousness.

"You okay, Yugi?" Solitaire asked.

Yugi replied half-heartedly," What?"

"I said are you okay?" Solitaire repeated.

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" Yugi blushed uncertainly.

"I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that you seemed a little out of it when I walked in. Usually you at least have some idea when I'm in the same room as you," Solitaire shrugged.

Her words were true enough. Though she was a master of stealth and surprise, experience had taught Yugi to recognize the signs when she was in the room. Little things like an unexpected shadow in the corner or a stillness that comes only from being stalked by another. Not much to really arouse suspicion in most, but Yugi had fallen prey to Solitaire's pranks enough times that it was plenty for him to rely on. So for him not even to recognize them was unusual.

"Well?" Solitaire prompted after a moment.

For someone in her position, it should have been considered rude and unthinkable to speak to one's Master like that. But in Solitaire's case, it was the exact opposite. Yugi expected her to act as her personality dictated, since he had always preferred what was real instead of something false. So it was no surprise when she acted as bluntly as she had towards him on the matter.

"It's nothing important, Solitaire. I just have a few things on my mind," Yugi replied.

"Like why Yami-sama is so edgy?" Solitaire asked suddenly.

"H-how'd you know about that, Solitaire? Have you been eavesdropping again?" Yugi stammered.

"Nope. I just know that he only leaves you before first meal if something major comes up," Solitaire said plainly.

Another point in Solitaire's favor. Like himself, she had picked up the habit of noticing things that many people passed over. There was a difference in just what they noticed though. Where Yugi noticed the little things about events and the people around him, Solitaire always sought out the most specific, embarrassing information that she could find on a subject. That was so that if someone annoyed her enough, then she would be able to have something to blackmail them with for revenge.

When it came to Yugi though, she used what she noticed about him to determine just what sort of mood he was in. That allowed her to judge if it was the best time for a prank or just to talk. Right now though, judging from how he seemed so sullen and deep in thought, she was getting the feeling that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to scare him like she had.

"Maybe something's come up, but that's okay. Yami has important work to do," Yugi said after a moment as a way to excuse how he had just reacted.

"Nice try, but that won't work on me, Yugi. I know that look. You're worried about why Yami had to leave so early," Solitaire snorted," And I can give you a hint to get over that. If you're so worried, maybe you should go down to the Meeting Hall. You'd probably find some answers there."

"Why would I find answers in the Meeting Hall?" Yugi asked uncertainly.

"Because that's where everyone was told to meet last night after first meal," Solitaire answered," I don't know what it's about, but it sure has everyone excited. I'm never seen so much activity around here at once."

This information peaked Yugi's curiosity. He rarely went to the Meeting Hall himself, so to hear about it was something different for him. If it involved the Monsters getting antsy though, then it was really something special. It meant that something out of the ordinary was occurring, something that might have to do with why Yami had been so upset before and why he had had to go to the meetings so soon.

Just to be sure though, Yugi asked," How can you be sure that there's something going on, Solitaire? I mean, a lot of the Monsters could just be cleaning the Meeting Hall for something."

"Oh they weren't cleaning. Kuribohs don't move that fast for cleaning," Solitaire insisted.

Out of curiosity, Yugi asked," How fast was Kuriboh going?"

"Like the Winged Dragon of Ra and every single Blue Eyes White Dragon alive was on his tail at once," Solitaire half-grinned.

A/N: Again, I'm very sorry for the long wait. Between having to rewrite this from scratch and then dealing with my personal life, I just haven't been able to get this out as quickly as I wanted. But I promise to try and update more frequently in the future. Until then, I want to thank everyone who read and that I hope that you've all enjoyed this latest installment.


	3. Denial and Regrets

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: Okay, I think that I might have gone a little overboard on this chapter. .; It's the longest one that I've written in a LONG time. I hope no one gets bored from reading this, especially since it kinda sounds like rambling in some places.

For Shan's Mousey's question, Solitaire isn't an official Duel Monster. She's an original character that I made to be Yugi's friend and a general annoyance to everyone else in this fic. Solitaire is something of a miniature dragon, except she has webbed feet, can't fly, and is relatively weak when it comes to physical fighting. But she has her own strengths, which you'll see in later chapters.

Chapter 2: Denial and Regrets

Hearing from Solitaire how upset the Monsters had become, especially how the Kuriboh was reacting to whatever the cause was, certainly peaked Yugi's curiosity further. It was the first clear evidence that he had besides Yami's previous edginess that something was indeed going on in the palace. Something which, though he was unaware of that fact for the moment, would cause Yugi to later do something that was completely out of his nature. Soon, instead of just sitting around and playing with his puzzles as he normally did, Yugi was going to go straight to Yami himself for answers.

At the moment though, he was more focused on what his servant had to say. Solitaire might not know the entire story, but at least she had some firsthand information that she could give Yugi. That was more than he would get under normal circumstances at this point. Usually, he would have to wait until Yami had watered down what went on in the Meeting Hall to what he deemed suitable for hikaris or nothing at all. That is, if he heard anything at all.

Most of the time, except for the rare occasions when Yami took him there for one reason or another, he was kept totally unaware of what went on in the Meeting Hall. If he asked at all, Yami would just say that it was nothing serious and that he shouldn't worry about such things. That was an answer that could get Yugi a little miffed but one that he accepted most of the time without too much trouble. But other times, like now, when he was feeling a little too sheltered by his darkness on certain matters, Yugi wished to know more.

As he digested what he had heard and came to a very abrupt decision, Yugi replied," Hold on a second, okay, Solitaire? I'm gonna ask Yami about this."

"All right," Solitaire nodded.

Privately, she doubted that Yugi would get an answer out of his lover. Like everyone else, she knew how protective Yami was of Yugi's innocence and the lengths he went to protect it from harm. Unless it was something that his hikari absolutely needed to know, then no amount of pleading on Yugi's part would budge the dark spirit. He would remain as sealed as a Spellbinding Circle at full power.

_Yami?_ Yugi prodded gently but firmly as he opened the link, _Yami, I know that you can hear me. I really need to talk to you. It's important._

_ Yugi? What's wrong, little one? _ Yami answered in surprise.

_I need to ask you about what's happening the Meeting Hall_ Yugi answered.

_ Oh, is that all? I told you before that what's happening here isn't anything that you need to be worried about, aibou. Go finish your puzzle. I'll join you when we're done here _ Yami ordered absently.

Under normal circumstances, Yugi might have relented and did as his yami told him. But this time his curiosity had been peaked enough where he was going to try something else. For once, he was going to try pressing the issue with Yami's meeting. It would probably going to get him scolded later on, but one way or another, he was going to find out what was happening.

_If it's enough to get the Monsters upset, then I want to know what's going on _Yugi said stubbornly.

Stunned silence greeted him from the other side of the link. For a brief second, Yugi thought that Yami had cut the link to tend to whatever was going on. But then he reconsidered that when he didn't feel the familiar void in the back of his mind that happened whenever Yami shut down his side of the link. It must have been that his words stunned Yami into temporary silence. A suspicion that was confirmed by Yami in the next instant.

_ Where did you hear about that? _Yami demanded.

_Um…_ Yugi started.

Now it was Yugi's turn to fall silent. As much as he wanted to know what was going on, he most certainly didn't want to get into trouble with Yami. Which was what would more than likely happen if he found out exactly what was the source of Yugi's questions. So for a moment, he was uncertain about how or if he should even answer Yami.

_ Yugi, where did you hear that? _Yami scolded.

_Solitaire told me_ Yugi reluctantly answered.

He could almost see Yami groaning at hearing that. It was no secret that Yami wasn't fond of Solitaire. In fact, he downright loathed her most of the time. The only reason he put up with her at all was because that was the way that Yugi wanted it and Yami could never deny his hikari something so small as tolerance for a nuisance. That didn't mean that he had to like her though or the things that she did when around Yugi, such as giving him bits of information like she had just done.

In fact, it wasn't uncommon for Solitaire to reveal a few things to Yugi that Yami would have rather he didn't know about, such as when there was a ruckus among the Monsters. When she did so, Solitaire was walking a very thin line. There were many times when what she told Yugi came close to going about Yami's strict orders about what his hikari should know about. The one thing that kept her from crossing the line was that Solitaire spoke only of her personal observations, instead of gossip.

If it was something that she knew for herself instead of mere speculation, then Yami couldn't fault her for anything. He had merely declared the very sensitive information be kept from Yugi to prevent damage, not the observations of an annoying servants. So by finding a loophole, Solitaire managed to keep herself from physical harm. Even so, this fact didn't lessen any of the annoyance that Yami was feeling right now towards the little Monster.

_ Hikari _Yami sighed, _ It doesn't matter what your servant said. She's just babbling like she always does. As I said before, this is nothing that you need to worry about right now. So please, go back to your puzzle and let me finish here. I really don't have any time to discuss this anymore. _

And with that, Yami cut his end of the link again. A touch of his irritation still buzzed in Yugi's mind, leaving him a little stunned that Yami had been so abrupt. It wasn't like his counterpart to be so cold towards him on anything, even when he was concerned about something. Normally, no matter how many times he had to do it, he would just tell Yugi in a calm tone that he wasn't able to talk and needed to get back to his work.

So when he acted the way that he had, Yugi couldn't help but feel a little hurt by Yami's actions. It just wasn't like the darkness to be so cold towards its light, even for an instant. Which, when he was able to push passed the hurt that he felt, made Yugi more than a little suspicious about Yami's abrupt ending. The only thing that would make Yami act out of character was if he was distracted by something important. And just what the something might be was information that Yugi was now determined to find out for himself, regardless of what his lover said.

"Come on, Solitaire. We're gonna get to the bottom of this," Yugi said as he jumped to his feet.

"Right," Solitaire nodded.

The two quickly strode over to the heavy doors that exited out into the palace corridors. It was no trouble to open them as one might think, since Yugi only had to send out a small wave of his light magic to push them open. He closed them in the same way, seeing no reason to leave the doors wide open when it would just take up room in the adjacent corridor.

After he had done so, Yugi and Solitaire began to walk towards the northern side of the palace. About halfway there, they would come to a corridor that would then take them to the Meeting Hall. It was a great stone chamber that was one of the more simplistically decorated in the palace, with only a few hangings with Yami's personal symbol, the Millenium Puzzle, hanging on the walls. The design in mind was mostly for the discussions held whenever Yami was holding Court with his closest Monster warriors and advisors. During times like that, there was no need for decoration when the concerns were for other matters.

These matters were the discussions that could range from palace upkeep to possible threats happening along the borders. How long these discussions went on were also something that could have a certain range to them. If it was nothing serious, then Court might only be held for an hour at most before everyone was dismissed. If it was something more serious however, the sessions could stretch on for the Earth equivalent of several weeks. Small concession breaks would be taken of course, to allow Yami and the others to recuperate, but the majority of their time during these periods was spent finding plans of action to follow.

That was not a problem that Yugi and Solitaire were going to have to face on their impromptu journey. For them, the plan of action was going to be simple. As Yugi had said, they were going to the Meeting Hall. Once there, they would get some answers to why everyone else was acting so jumpy. There was no guarantee that they would really get any, at least right away, but both could be stubborn when they wanted and this was something that they were determined to accomplish.

The journey itself wasn't as simple though. Its route took them by many of the other Monsters that also dwelled in the palace. Most were servants going about their assigned tasks, while a few were guards that had been set to protect the entrances and exits into the palace. It was a perfectly routine time for them, none expecting it to be otherwise. Until they spotted Yugi and Solitaire walking down the corridor. That was when the Monsters stopped their work and took notice.

It wasn't often that the Monsters would see Yugi outside the safety of his private chambers without Yami. Normally he kept to his and Yami's personal chambers, preferring to keep out of sight since he didn't like to interfere with the duties of others. The only times that he really ever came out was when they had guests or there was need for healers. Then Yugi would be out in full force, offering a gentle smile and a helping hand wherever it was needed.

As he went by now though, Yugi offered a few friendly smiles to the startled servants that they passed, but most were ignored. His mind was almost completely intent on getting to the Meeting Hall as quickly as possible. The part that wasn't was clouded with a million questions on what he should ask Yami and how he should even confront him on this matter. It certainly wouldn't do to make a huge fuss over things, as it would just make him seem childish.

So he would have to take a page from his lover's book and do things a bit more discreetly while still in plain sight. That meant instead of asking Yami verbally, he was just going to have to use their mind link. It was the most private method he could think of without letting anyone else know just what they were talking about. The drawback though, was that he had to make sure that Yami would actually open his end enough to listen. It was always possible that he might keep his end closed while he scolded Yugi verbally and told him to leave the Meeting Hall.

Still, it was the risk to best solution that Yugi could think of as they finally came to the huge iron doors that led to the Meeting Hall. He was willing to deal with that if that was what it took to get some answers. Keeping that in mind as he steeled himself for what they were about to face, Yugi used his light magic to push the doors open as he had done earlier.

The great doors groaned in protest as they slowly swung open to reveal the Meeting Hall and its inhabitants. The gathered Monsters consisted of the Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, Gaia, Celtic Guardian and many others, all deep in discussion around a large stone table that sat at the center of the room. At the head of this table sat Yami in plain stone chair, with him listening to whatever information his Monsters were passing along to him.

All heads turned when they heard the doors opened. For a brief instant, they had all tensed as if something were wrong. But then all eyes widened at the sight of Yugi standing in the open doorway with Solitaire crouched at his feet. Hikari and servant Monster looked back the yami and general Monsters with a mixture of nervousness and defiance.

_ Yugi! What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me _ Yami demanded as he got to his feet.

_I came to see why the Monsters are upset for myself. I asked you before, but you didn't answer me_ Yugi answered simply.

Yami was dumbfounded by this answer. It was the last thing that he had been expecting to hear from his normally shy and obedient hikari. For a moment, he had thought that Yugi had left their chambers out of boredom rather than curiosity. The problem with that theory was that Yugi never did something like that when he was bored. Regardless of what was happening, he always found something to do with his time.

So with that option out of the way, that left another solution for the current situation. It was an even stranger conclusion than the one that Yugi had come to the Meeting Hall out of boredom. He thought to earlier, when Yugi had tapped into the link and contacted him an hour or so after first meal was supposed to have ended. When he started asking about what his servant had told him, Yami had dismissed it as misplaced curiosity. Now as he sat there, looking at his impatient hikari, Yami was realizing just how wrong he had been.

_ Yugi, hikari mine _ Yami sighed_, I didn't answer you for a reason. We're very busy here discussing an upcoming trip that I need to take. So please, just go… _

_Journey?_ Yugi echoed.

_ Yes, a journey, little one _ Yami answered.

It wasn't too much of a slip, but Yami inwardly berated himself for letting Yugi know about that now. He had intended to tell his hikari about it later when they were alone. But he was so surprised by Yugi's sudden appearance and the reason for his visit that for once, he had told more than he had intended. Now he would be stuck trying convince his hikari to stop questioning him and to be patient until the right time.

_If you're going on a journey, then I…I could go with you. I know that I would be able to help if something's wrong_ Yugi suggested.

He had no idea where that idea came from. The words left him even before he had a chance to think about them. All that he knew was that some little part of him knew it would be best if he went wherever Yami did right now. It was something that might prevent something nasty from happening later on.

Yami's answer was an instant, _ Out of the question. You're going nowhere but back to our chambers where you'll stay until I come for you. I keep telling you that this is nothing that you need to worry about. Why won't you just listen to that? _

_But Yami _Yugi started to protest.

_ The answer is still no, Yugi. You will not ask anymore about this matter and you will most certainly remain here while I am gone. This something that requires no distraction and must be handled by those that understand its depths, which does not include Hikaris _Yami growled.

It was not the first time that Yami had spoken sharply to his hikari, but it was the first time that it had been so harsh or come so close to outright insulting him. And it was more than enough to cause Yugi to step back a pace or two in surprise at Yami's tone. He looked at his counterpart with hurt and disbelief shining in his violet orbs. Tears clouded his vision after a moment, but Yugi refused to allow them to fall.

He would not make a bigger scene in front of Yami and the rest of the court. He would not lose any more dignity than he already had. Not this time. This time, things were going to go differently. Now was the time to show everyone that there was another side to him that none of them had ever suspected existed. It was time for them to realize just how deep the mind and soul of a hikari could run beyond the boundaries of innocence.

His face going strangely stoic, Yugi faced down his yami. The latter looked back at him with a hint of surprise reflecting in his crimson orbs. It was obvious enough to Yugi at least that Yami wasn't used to seeing his hikari having such an expression on his face. Well, he was just going to have to get used to getting a few surprises from his hikari, especially in the next few moments.

_Do whatever you need to do, Yami. It's your business and I won't interfere with it _Yugi said rigidly through their link.

For a second time, Yami felt a bit of surprise as he raised an eyebrow at his hikari's mental tones. As with Yugi, there were just certain behaviors that he wasn't used to receiving from his counterpart. In his case, he was more accustomed to having his aibou acting quiet and gentle, since that was normal hikari nature. So to have him sounding so cold and harsh as Yami normally did, well, it was a slight shock to say the least.

It didn't take much for Yami to guess why Yugi was acting like, though not how he managed to pull the attitude off. Well, Yami supposed he should have expected his much. His light was such a delicate little creature, with a mind that could be just as fragile if mistreated. And now that he had given it some thought, he knew that his tone was sharper than it had to be.

He had only spoken that way because his natural protective instincts had taken over at the thought of Yugi leaving the palace. It was the same way that any sensible yami would react, as those were instincts that were deeply ingrained into their minds. It was what drove yamis to be so sensitive to the threats to their hikaris and the needs of the fragile lights.

Even so, that was no reason to cause Yugi to shed tears. Hurting one's own hikari in even the slightest way was just as bad as failing to protect the light against an outside attack. It was a sign, no matter how minute, that something was wrong within the relationship. Never wanting to think that such a thing could happen with his bond with Yugi, Yami decided that it would be best to smooth the matter over before it got out of hand.

_ There's no reason for you to worry about coming with me anyhow, aibou. I'm not going to be gone for that long to begin with. I promise we'll back as soon as possible and while I'm gone, you can contact me any time through the link. I'm just a thought away _Yami promised more gently.

Hopefully, it would be enough to appease Yugi until Yami felt that it was possible to explain this more easily. Just one mental check and he knew that his hikari was hiding what he really felt behind a well-built mental wall. Even for someone who was supposed to be so innocent, he was good at concealing his emotions when he wanted to, even from Yami, though that last part took a lot of effort thanks to the link.

Unfortunately for Yami, Yugi was in no mood to be placated by a single promise as he had in the past. He had been seriously offended by his yami's words and was going to show it. Not openly, as that would draw more attention than Yugi wanted taken away from other important matters. But he would do it enough that Yami at least would get the message loud and clear that this time, regardless of Yugi's forgiving nature, he was not going to be forgiven as easily as before. If Yami wanted to be forgiven, then he was going to earn everything back.

_I will do no such thing, Yami_ Yugi said.

_ What? _Yami practically yelped in his mind.

Yugi replied coolly _I said that I'm not going to contact you while you're gone. You said that you couldn't be distracted by anything while you're dealing with this and that would happen if I talked to you through the link. It's better to keep it closed until long AFTER your return, Yami._

These words were enough that severe shock actually broke through Yami's carefully guarded expression for once. As before, it wasn't like Yugi to speak so harshly to him, even during the rare times when he was upset with Yami. When that occurred, his voice would go soft and then he would just refuse to speak to Yami altogether if the darkness offended him.

This silence might last anywhere from a few hours to as long as the equivalent of a week. During those times, Yugi would find some place to hide while Yami tried to figure out a way to earn his hikari's forgiveness. Forgiveness that would come eventually, as the nature of a hikari was to seek harmony with the yami and that was found through forgiving of past wrongs. When that inevitable feeling took over, then everything would go on as before.

Unfortunately for Yami, forgiveness was not going to be found so easily this time. After his last response, Yugi turned and exited the chamber. After shooting Yami a dirty look, Solitaire scampered after her Master. The entire court watched them go with a mixture of silent misgiving and saddened understanding. None of them had heard the silent exchange that had gone between their masters, but they were able to sense that what was discussed had not gone well.

Wisely, none of the Monsters present chose to comment about the situation, even to those nearest to them. As was the unwritten law of the Shadow Realm, it was not their place to interfere or judge with the affairs of the yamis who ruled them and their hikaris. The two were forces that none of them could really ever understand, despite the fact that many of the Monsters were devout followers of the powers descended from light and dark.

As for Yami himself, he had watched his light's departure with a sense of deep regret and shame that none of the Monsters were aware of. He hadn't meant to upset Yugi so much, truly he didn't. The one thing that mattered most to him was seeing a smile upon the little one's face. It was what brightened his own dark world and helped to ease the shadows of his heart. That was why he always went to such lengths to please his light whenever he could.

If he wasn't able to accomplish this and Yugi became displeased with him, then Yami felt empty. A void would form in his heart and he would begin to realize that he had failed tremendously in his duties of life. Those feelings of failure would remain, continuously eating away at Yami until he managed to find some way to appease his offended light. When Yugi forgave him and welcomed Yami back into his arms, then the void would vanish entirely.

The entire mess was something that Yami preferred to avoid if he could, but this time, it was necessary. Even if he was upset, it was for Yugi's own good that he remain here while Yami and the others were gone. There was just too much of a chance that something might happen to him with this new threat running around. And that just wasn't something that Yami was willing to risk a second time.

He had nearly lost Yugi once before when his light had wandered out of the safety of the palace because of Yami's own incompetence. It had been shortly after they had been created and were just starting to establish themselves in the Shadow Realm. At the time, most of Yami's time had been preoccupied with proving his dominance to the Monsters and keeping a balance with the other emerging yamis. He rarely had a chance to spend time alone with his hikari, who was left to amuse himself within their personal chambers.

For a while, Yugi managed to do just that. There had been so many things for him to experience in the toys and trinkets of their chambers that he never thought to go anywhere else when left alone. After a time though, as eventually happens in many cases, even the treasures he had were not enough to keep Yugi's attention. He longed more and more for the company of his darkness, who tended to disappear for longer periods of time as the 'days' of the Shadow Realm went by.

When he had brought the matter up through their link, Yami only scolded him and then told Yugi that he just needed to be patient. Once things were more settled in the Shadow Realm, then they would be able to spend as much time together as they wanted. Until then, there were just more important matters for him to be attending to than playing with his hikari.

As hurt as he had been, Yugi heeded his lover's words for a time. He returned to his games, trying his hardest to be patient while Yami continued to sort out the problems that constantly arose. Yet, as time passed, doing this became more difficult. Yami continued to be absent from his company so often that finally, he was not there at all. Yugi had been left alone completely, save for the Monsters who were assigned to see to his basic needs and comfort.

He had tried to ignore the hurt he felt at his darkness's neglect and absence, telling himself that it was for the best. That Yami had more important things to do than being with him. But the time finally came when Yugi could take it no longer and decided that maybe it was time for a change. He would show Yami that it wasn't fair to make him stay in one place while the darkness got to do everything, even if it meant striking out on his own.

That was what he finally did one day when he snuck out of the palace after he had excused all the servants from their duties. From the palace border, he had set out across Yami's still expanding and ever defining territory into the Shadow Realm. It was frightening for him at first being in places where he was literally the only light was himself. Many times he was tempted to call across the link that had basically been shut and scream for Yami to come find him before something else did.

But then he forced himself to stop and remember that Yami was too busy for trivial things like that. In fact, he would probably be furious that his work had been interrupted because of an erring hikari. He would track Yugi down of course, since no yami would ever leave their hikari on their own in the Shadow Realm. Once he found Yugi though, Yami would probably yell at him for hours for being so stupid.

The thought of his yami being disappointed in him was more than a deterrent for Yugi to keep from calling for help. So regardless of the fear he felt and the possible dangers, he had kept going. Farther and farther he went from the palace, into one of the deepest corners of the Shadow Realm. Once there, Yugi had finally collapsed from exhaustion and fear. He fell into a deep, fitful sleep that brought darkened dreams to Yugi's mind. Ones where he was forever separated from Yami by unseen forces, while in others his darkness had willingly abandoned him.

It was something that haunted Yugi until a strange voice woke him from his slumber. That voice had belonged to Solitaire, a little Monster that had come upon Yugi while she searching for a place to hide. She was a criminal who had escaped from several clans of Soul Tigers, Curse of Dragons, and Beaver Warriors for ruining their food supplies and stealing many artifacts that she later traded off for different things. If she were found, it would either mean permanent enslavement or be killed. So in order to keep her head, she had been forced to constantly keep on the move.

If she stopped to worry about anyone else, it would leave her open to capture by her pursuers. So when she came upon a shivering Yugi, she was surprised but more than willing to pass him by. When she saw the deep tear tracks that ran down his cheeks and heard the fevered whimpers caused by his dreams, Solitaire felt her heart melt. She could easily sense the innocent aura that surrounded him and knew full well what would happen to the hikari if someone less friendly than she found him.

So she had awakened him, startling Yugi completely when he realized that there was a stranger next to him. His fear eased though once he realized that Solitaire meant him no harm. She was there to help him, as she promised to do if he was willing to come with her. Yugi was reluctant at first but since he no longer wanted to be alone at that point, he followed after Solitaire.

They were together for awhile after that, with Yugi following behind Solitaire while she kept the two of them one step ahead of capture. It wasn't an easy time to be sure, but it was how they existed until their luck finally ran out. A group of Beaver Warriors eventually caught their trail and then cornered the two in a dark corner of the Shadow Realm. Their main intention was to destroy Solitaire but a few had the idea that they could have some fun with Yugi before destroying him as well. It was a plan that never came to fruition.

Just as the Beaver Warriors were about to strike, an enraged Yami pounced on the lot with a vengeance. Though a few managed to escape with minor wounds, most suffered a horrible experience at the hands of the berserk darkness. None of them were killed. Yami had enough sense not to do that when they could be of use to him later. But he had shown the Beaver Warriors the nastiest side an irritated yami was capable of revealing when the hikari was threatened.

After he had dealt with the Beaver Warriors, Yami's anger had cooled considerably when he turned his attention a quivering Yugi and a startled Solitaire. The Monster he ignored as he gathered Yugi into his arms and literally hugged his hikari half to death. The entire time, Yami kept muttering how worried he had been, that he was sorry for ignoring Yugi, and that he never wanted the hikari to leave him again.

Apparently, Yami had gone searching for Yugi not long after he had gone missing from their chambers. The Mystical Elf who had been assigned to bring him his meals had discovered him missing and reported his disappearance to Yami. As soon as he heard, Yami dropped everything and set out to find Yugi for himself. It had taken him a long time and he had practically left everything in control of his Dark Magician, but Yami didn't care. All that mattered to him was finding Yugi again.

When he had found his hikari, Yami took both him and strangely enough Solitaire back to the palace. Though she was a criminal, Yami had decided to spare Solitaire's life for protecting Yugi while they were together. Instead, he gave the little wretch to his hikari as a personal servant and bodyguard. It was her punishment to serve Yugi throughout eternity for the crimes that she had committed, obeying his every whim to the letter. If she disobeyed in even the slightest way, then her fate would be left up to her Master.

As of yet, there really hadn't been any problems between the two. Though she was a nuisance at times, Solitaire had proven to be a good servant and friend to Yugi. She was there for him when Yami could not be, knew how to make him feel better, and performed her duties towards him without fail. The only real problem that she really ever caused was irritating the hell out of almost everyone else living in the palace.

Though it was a pain to do so, Yami had learned to deal this fact and the complaints that were often lodged against Solitaire by many of the other Monsters. It could be a disruption, but it was never really anything serious. Especially in comparison into how her services had been acquired in the first place.

Even if an annoying servant was gained from the experience, almost losing Yugi that one time had opened Yami's eyes to the importance that his hikari held in his life and that he shouldn't be taken for granted. So from that time on, he had made it a point to spend almost every spare moment open to him with his love. It was both to apologize to Yugi for how he had been treated during those hectic times and to ensure that he remained under Yami's personal guard as much as possible.

When he wasn't able to be with Yugi, then he would be left under the heaviest guard possible within the palace walls. Unless they were personally approved of by Yami, no one but his most trusted Monsters were allowed to set foot down the hallway that led to the lovers' personal chambers. Anyone who dared to try, unless it was one of the youngsters who had made a mistake, then Yami's temper would take its toll on them.

So after that one occurrence, it should be no surprise that Yami had actually denied his hikari the chance to accompany him. It was for the best after all. Besides, he was sure that Yugi would understand everything in time. He always had before, so why shouldn't he now?

A/N: Wow. I can't believe that I'm done with this monster. I do hope that it provided the story bits that everyone was looking for. I know that maybe it seems a little out of character for Yugi to get so bold when he's supposed to be so innocent and Yami to be such a jerk, but I kinda needed that as a catalyst for the plot. Don't worry though, I'll fix the spat later. Also, Solitaire's origin story was just something I threw in to show how she ended up there. I hope that it didn't make the chapter sound too boring. Also, I'm working on the next chapter, but it won't be out for a while since it's only half done. It will be out before June though, I can promise that.


	4. We all have secrets

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 3: We all have secrets

A/N: This is by far the longest chapter that I've done to date. Ugh. This'll teach me to let the writing bug keep me going until 4 in the morning. But I'm still pretty proud of it nonetheless, since I managed to update before I thought I would be able to. I hope that everyone enjoys this like they have previous chapters. Also, thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. Your reviews mean a lot to me and have definitely helped to keep this story alive.

Sending out a wave of magic, Yugi slammed the doors behind him as hard as possible. The resounding bang certainly filled the chamber and the surrounding corridors, startling every Monster within earshot that was for sure. Not that it mattered to Yugi, who didn't care who heard what or what they might say about the disturbance. He was upset and wanted to express that anger in any way that he could.

That fact was normal enough and was a fact that could be attributed to anyone who knew how to sort through the complexity of emotion. For Yugi though, expressing his anger was as far as it would ever go. Unlike the countless others who took the ability to do so for granted, he was incapable of expressing things such as hate. It went against everything that it meant to be a Hikari, which was supposed to know innocence, joy, happiness, and the like.

Right now though, none of those emotions were even close to running through his mind. At this moment, Yugi felt nothing but anger and fury. All of which was directed towards Yami and the words that he had spoken earlier. He couldn't believe that Yami had treated him like that. What gave him the right to think that his hikari, regardless of innocence and temperament, was an inept child who couldn't understand what was happening?

It was all enough that it fueled Yugi's magic further as he began to use it to levitate surrounding objects like cushions and one of the couches. These he threw with full force at the nearest wall. The cushions suffered no damage and only fell to the floor after thumping against the wall. The couch was not so fortunate, as it shattered almost on contact with the wall.

Its remains fell to the floor in a heap of splinters and torn pillows. Yugi watched in startled fascination at the destruction he had just caused. He had never thought himself capable of doing such things, no matter how small the scale. It had always been in his nature to use his light magic heal and nurture everything around him. For him to be able to actually use his magic for something else was almost scary but actually a bit exhilarating at the same time.

It was nice to finally have a different way to vent his frustration instead of just retreating into meditation or finding some puzzle to put his energy into. The feeling was somewhat fleeting though, when Yugi realized that sort of mess he had made. Part of him knew that some poor servant was going to be the one to clean up the mess he had just made. Another part of him though, wasn't really sure that he cared who had to clean up the mess since he was too worried about his own problems.

Of course, he wasn't the only one who was wondering just what they should think about what Yugi had just done. Having barely made it into the room before Yugi slammed the doors, Solitaire had hidden herself under another couch while Yugi vented. She had watched her Master with a sense of misgiving the entire time. Almost as much as it was for Yami, it was hard for her to see him in such a state. She preferred it when Yugi followed the given friendly and carefree nature of the hikari to when he was moping and depressed. As long as he was in that state of mind, then she didn't have to worry about plotting some sort of revenge against his idiot lover for being so dense about the hikari's feelings.

Not that she wouldn't plan a little revenge just for the sake of it, even if she didn't always go through with it. Plotting revenge against others was one of the few hobbies that she had outside of her duties after all and she wanted to keep in practice. If she lost even an ounce of her touch, then it would most certainly ruin her reputation. That was one of the last things that Solitaire wanted to happen since her reputation was one of the few things that she did that she could actually be proud of.

One of the others was being friends with someone as caring and thoughtful as Yugi. For her, even after so long, it was a novel experience to actually have someone care about her so much. Solitaire's earliest memories had always been of living a lonely existence of wandering from place to place in the Shadow Realm. Over time, she had managed to carve out a living for herself by becoming a thief and raiding the supplies of whatever clan of Monsters she happened to come upon. It always ensured that she at least had something to eat, but it did little to endear her to anyone.

So to actually have a friend and a hikari at that, well, it was something special for Solitaire and so was the relationship that they shared. It was something that she treasured greatly and would never risk losing. When it came to the other relationships that she had built, such as those among the servants and the guards, things didn't matter as much. Most of these shared the same opinion that Yami had, meaning that she was little more than a pest. This she just pushed off without little concern.

Yet there was one thing that Solitaire shared in common with her friend's lover despite their differences. Solitaire had really never cared much for Yami anymore than he and the rest of the palace did for her. In her opinion, he was one of the most arrogant and infuriating creatures that had ever lived in the Shadow Realm. He should have been born an Obnoxious Celtic Guardian or the Winged Dragon of Ra instead of a yami. Either one would have suited him much better with that ego problem that each had.

Despite what she felt were obvious flaws, Solitaire still knew how much Yami loved Yugi and vice versa. There was no one else that the dark spirit would risk everything to protect nor spend an eternity making happy. He gave everything to make Yugi happy, never caring if it put him in a tight spot or not. It was just that sometimes, like today, that he went about showing those intentions the entirely wrong way.

And by wrong, she meant totally off the charts. Since they had spoken with their telepathic bond, Solitaire had no idea exactly what had said. All she knew was that Yami had really gotten himself into hot water with Yugi this time and only a fool could see that it wasn't going to be an easy fix like before. It was going to take a lot of work for the dark spirit to work his way back into Yugi's good graces. Solitaire guessed it would take at least a century of gifts and apology notes just to get Yami back in the same room with Yugi. After that, maybe twice that long to be able to get Yugi to speak with his lover again and let him share their bed again. Which meant the whole place was in for one long, bumpy road made from Yami's own insensitivity.

And as much as she disliked Yami for how he treated her Master, that wasn't something that Solitaire was looking forward to. She also knew that once word got around to the rest of the Monsters, they would share the same opinion. There was nothing worse than a yami distracted from protecting his territory and minions because he was trying to placate an offended hikari. That would just leave them open to way too much trouble in the future.

Though she didn't have much of a mind for politics, Solitaire knew when to avoid trouble when she could. So as much as she wanted Yami to finally suffer for his own stupidity, she knew that she was going to have to do something about the situation. Just what that would be, Solitaire wasn't really sure. It really wasn't her specialty to calm or comfort anyone. The best that she could normally do was offer a semi-friendly word or a pat on the shoulder. And that barely went anywhere since hardly any of the servants really trusted what was going on with Solitaire.

So the best that she would be able to do was simply to improvise. First she would have to try and calm Yugi down enough so that they could talk, that would be the easy part. The hard part would come when she needed to figure out just what to say. Solitaire knew that she would need to say just the right thing or else it might set Yugi off all over again. Then everything would be right back where it started, only worse since Yugi would be mad at both his lover and his servant.

Still, she wasn't going to know what would happen if she continued to hide like a skittish hatchling under a couch. Breathing deep, Solitaire forced herself to leave the relative safety her hiding place had offered and began a slow approach towards Yugi. He was still absorbed in his own frustrations and the mess that had happened as a result, so had yet to notice that Solitaire had been with him all along. Which made it a little easier for Solitaire to make it to his side undetected, though not unwarily of course. She was still ready to leap behind a chair should a piece of furniture come flying at her head.

Clearing her throat, Solitaire replied gently," Um, Yugi? You know that Yami-sama wasn't trying to be cruel or anything when he said whatever to you, right? I mean, I know that I can't read your minds like you do with each other, but I'm sure what he said to make you mad was just his way of protecting you."

The instant that those words left her mouth, Solitaire realized just how big a mistake that they had been. Yugi wheeled around to face her the second he heard her voice. The expression that he gave the Monster was almost frightening for her to behold. Tears streaming down his face, Yugi showed Solitaire all the hurt, confusion, and frustration that he felt from Yami's earlier treatment in both expression and the words he himself spoke as he came down on her in one fell swoop.

"Well maybe I don't want to be protected, Solitaire. Despite what everyone thinks, I'm not a helpless child that needs his yami to hold his hand everywhere he goes. I can take care of myself if I have to. So don't think that a nosy servant like you knows what my lover's intentions are," Yugi snapped.

Solitaire took a step back at those words. It was hard for her not to look at Yugi with a hurt expression. That was the first time that he had ever spoken sharply with her or invoked anything that had to do with her position, so it was a bit of a shock to say the least. Usually if Yugi was upset about something, he wouldn't say anything to his servant or just tell her to leave him alone. Then they could both avoid the unpleasantness that came with taking one's anger out on another and probably another argument.

That hadn't happened this time and now Solitaire was left wondering if she should just leave her Master alone. It was obvious now that her attempts at consoling Yugi had failed and now he was in an even worse mood because of her words. So it would be best if she did the right thing this time and leave him be. Staying would probably only make the situation even more complicated anyway, which really didn't seem like a good idea to allow to happen.

Ears laid back submissively, she said quietly," I'm sorry for speaking out of turn, Yugi-sama. I'll leave now."

She then turned and started heading for the nearby door that led to her quarters. Before she had taken more two steps though, a pair of hands shot out and scooped up Solitaire before she was even aware of what was happening. For a moment, she almost tensed up and prepared to struggle to get free. But the scent and strength used to hold her were familiar, so this action stopped halfway.

The one who had grabbed her was none other than Yugi. When he had seen the impact of his words on Solitaire, he instantly regretted what he had said. She was not the one that he was angry with, so it wasn't right for him to act so crossly with her. If he did, then it would only drive away the only person that he felt comfortable around at the moment.

So when he saw Solitaire's slow retreat, he had reacted by embracing her. As upset as he was, the last thing that Yugi wanted right now as to be alone. He wanted someone else to share his pain with and since it was impossible to turn to Yami right now, Solitaire was the best thing he had. So, like a young child would a favorite stuffed toy, Yugi held her tightly in his arms as he sat back down on the couch. As if to seek further comfort or maybe to hide the new set of tears that were being shed, he buried his face in her thick mane.

They sat like this for several minutes, neither one making a sound. Occasionally Yugi would shift slightly and hugged Solitaire more tightly to him. She made no objections when he did so, instead shifting a little closer so that he had no trouble in keeping his grip on her. Which was how it remained until Yugi finally found his voice again and broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, Solitaire. You're not the one that I'm mad at, so I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," he sighed.

Gently wiping away a tear with her free paw, Solitaire said," I know and it's okay, Yugi. It's nothing to worry about."

"No it's not okay," Yugi insisted," You were just trying to make me feel better and then I hurt your feelings by being mean. That isn't right."

Again, his nature as a hikari was overriding the other emotions that he was feeling right now. It was impossible for him to tolerate someone that he cared about feeling hurt and not to do anything while they were in his presence. So he had acted on his instincts, reaching out to comfort Solitaire when he felt her sorrow. By doing so though, he also ended up getting the comfort that he desperately needed as well at the moment.

"Yugi, you were upset. When people get upset, sometimes they say things that they don't mean. It hurt some at first when you said those things, but I know that you didn't mean anything. So you can let it go," Solitaire said firmly.

As usual, Solitaire had slipped back into her blunt manner despite what had been said beforehand. Perhaps it was not the most appropriate thing in this situation, but it was actually something that Yugi welcomed. It was a constant that he was used to, something he could identify with to help get his thoughts clear again. So he made no comment to scold Solitaire for a second time. Instead, he just let her speak as she would and hopefully help himself in the process.

"I'm still sorry," Yugi said as he hugged Solitaire a little tighter," And look at that mess. I can't believe that I lost my temper like that. It's no better than yelling at you without a good reason."

"Eh, it was an ugly couch anyway. I've always thought that you needed to trash that stupid thing," Solitaire joked.

Yugi managed to crack a tiny half-smile at the attempt, but that was all. Now that a good part of his frustration had drained away, he couldn't help dwelling on the childish way that he had acted. No wonder Yami didn't want to take him with this journey, no matter how unreasonable he was about the matter. Who would want to travel with someone who couldn't even keep himself from throwing a tantrum.

"Stop it, Yugi. Feeling sorry for yourself won't make things any better, especially when you had every reason to be upset," Solitaire ordered, already knowing what was going through his head to some degree.

"But…," Yugi started.

"Look, I'm no expert in lovers' spats, but I know this much. If you're feeling this bad about things, maybe you should just to him after you've both had a little time apart. No matter how much of an insensitive bonehead he can be, I'm sure that Yami-sama would understand how you feel. I mean, you are soulmates after all. You're supposed to be able to tell each other anything," Solitaire suggested.

Yugi shook his head. He figured that Solitaire might suggest such a thing. It was the most logical course of action, that was for sure. But it was also one that didn't factor in Yami's personality and his principles. The overprotective personality that was always so concerned about what was happening in Yugi's life and making sure that nothing even remotely dangerous or inappropriate approached him. The principles that felt that a hikari should always submit to the yami's protection and believe that the darkness always knew what was best for the light that it protected so fervently.

"It wouldn't work that way, Solitaire. No matter how much I try to explain it to him, Yami will never understand. He'll just say I'm being silly and go on acting like he always does," Yugi grumbled.

Solitaire looked like she was about to say more, but then thought better of it. Judging from Yugi's tone, she could sense that there was something more to this than she had first realized. There was a kind of poison, not yet lethal but still unpleasant, that had been slowly growing in him through countless eons of having to go through with this dance with Yami. Yugi himself probably had no idea that it was there. He probably only knew it as a slight frustration from time to time that he ended up burying in order to keep the balance with his other half.

The one he held knew better though. If the poison, whatever its' full extent, was not allowed to be bled from his system, then there was no doubt in her mind that it would fester into something worse. And judging from what had happened today, that might not be so far off. So if talking about what was bothering him might help Yugi deal with this newly realized problem, then Solitaire would remain silent for as long as necessary for him to do so.

"I know that Yami wants to protect me because he loves me, but sometimes he just goes too far. He makes me feel so helpless when I'm not. I can help him. I would, if he would just give me the chance," Yugi sighed.

All right, now that was something that Solitaire could work with. She had known from the moment that she came to the palace that all yamis tended to shelter their hikaris excessively. It had something to do with their instincts of protecting a hikari's purity and making sure that the balance of light and darkness was maintained. Most of the time there seemed to be no real complaint from the hikaris about this treatment, as they seemed willing to go along with what their lovers felt was appropriate.

There were obviously those times though, when such treatment was not so welcome. The times when a hikari might want to stretch their wings and see just what they were capable of doing. Only the chance was often denied by the overprotective yamis who were following their instincts instead of their heads, as had been the case that day. Which meant that if a hikari was shot down about what they wanted to do enough times, then it was certain that some sort of resentment might start to form.

A resentment that had Yugi's case had become the desire to prove himself to Yami. That he was indeed his lover's equal and not some treasure that needed be protected every second for eternity. Unfortunately, the expression of said desire had gone completely wrong. Now both sides were left with a sense of hurt and frustration that would only end up making things worse later on.

And for a second time that day, Solitaire couldn't help but think on how she could improve the situation. Her first attempt hadn't gone so well, that she would admit. But that had been dealing with soothing emotions and not thinking out a strategy. When she was able to perform the latter, then she had no problem finding a reasonable solution. Which in this case, after she thought for a moment, seemed very obvious.

Yugi had said himself that he wished for a chance to prove himself to Yami. Solitaire already knew that would never happen while they remained at the palace. As long as Yugi stayed there, then he would always have Yami sheltering his every step and making certain that he did nothing dangerous. That was not something to help the situation, so that meant the only way to help Yugi was to get him away from both the palace and Yami. Once he was on his own, then he would have the chance that he needed to bloom to his full potential.

As obvious as the solution seemed, Solitaire knew that there were other problems to deal with. For one thing, she had a feeling that Yugi would be reluctant to leave home for any reason. His earlier experiences in the Shadow Realm had seen to that. Plus, even if he was willing to go, there was the matter of getting him to said place. Solitaire already knew that she could handle that part, it was just revealing to Yugi how it would be done. She didn't know how he would react when he found out and loathed how Yugi would see her afterwards. Still, if it meant that she could help him, maybe it would be worth the risk.

"Yugi?" Solitaire asked.

"Yes?" Yugi responded.

"If you could go somewhere else," Solitaire began slowly," somewhere you could prove what you can really do, then where would that be?"

Yugi looked at her in confusion. He had no idea why Solitaire would ask him such a question. She knew well enough what had happened the last time Yugi had struck out into the Shadow Realm on his own. Except for getting Solitaire as a friend, that entire fiasco had been a disaster. As much as he wanted to prove himself, Yugi was no fool. He had learned well from that mistake and would not repeat the experience over again.

"I don't know. I don't think it would matter anyway. Even if I wanted to go somewhere, how would I get there?" Yugi replied," You know that as soon as he leaves, Yami's going to have me guarded every second. I'll have guards standing outside the doors, in my garden, near all the windows and balconies. No one will be allowed in these rooms except you, Mystical Elf, and Kuriboh because Yami doesn't want anyone else around me."

As he spoke, a sad and knowing look crossed Solitaire's face. It was one that if see by those who knew her, would say was a totally alien expression for the annoying little creature. Her normal expressions were either a near permanent devious smirk or a calculating grin that meant someone was in for trouble. Yet this one time, making trouble was the furthest thing from Solitaire's mind. Right now, her mind was filled with a debate that would change both hers and Yugi's lives forever.

"You're wrong, Yugi. There is a way for you to get past Yami's security," Solitaire said after a time.

"Oh? And exactly how would that be?" Yugi demanded.

"Me," she replied simply.

"Huh?" replied a confused Yugi.

"You heard me. I can get you past all of Yami's security whenever I want, Yugi. I can travel between the Shadow Realm and any other world that I want. All I need is a destination," Solitaire answered.

Yugi was both shocked and amazed at his servant's sudden confession. There were few creatures in the Shadow Realm that had the ability to travel between worlds the way that Solitaire claimed to. Those that did were usually either very powerful Duel Monsters like the Egyptian God trio or the dark spirits known as yamis that the Monsters often served. It was almost unheard of anything else to have such a power, especially something as weak as Solitaire.

For when it came to strength, Solitaire barely had enough power to fight off a Kuriboh or a Skull Servant in a one on one confrontation. The only way she ever got around stronger creatures was by using her cunning and stealth to sneak around their defenses until she got what she wanted. And more often than not, though some occasions took longer than others, that was something Solitaire often succeeded in. Still, Yugi couldn't help but wonder just how Solitaire could have been born with such an ability.

"Why didn't you ever tell me this before?" Yugi asked.

"It isn't exactly something that you go around blabbering about, Yugi," Solitaire replied," If anyone else knew, they would either have me locked up in some relic to be released only when someone wants to travel or destroy me to keep others from using my powers. Since neither one is a fate that I want, I had to keep my mouth shut."

Yugi nodded quietly. He could understand reasoning like that. Though it was a rare occurrence, he had heard about other Monsters who had been in Solitaire's position. Like her, they were virtually powerless except for the major ability of being able to travel between worlds. Most had tried to hide what they were out of fear of being destroyed or enslaved, but they had been eventually found out by someone.

What happened to them after capture usually varied on whose territory they were in and just how extensively their powers had been used up to that point. If the Monster was found in the territory of a yami and had refrained from using their powers in all but the most dire of situations, then the worst that they might get was being fitted with an inhibitor collar and sentenced to serving the yami for eternity.

If the Monster had abused their power though and constantly went between realms to cause trouble, then it was a different story. Monsters like that were not only a threat to mortals that they might encounter in the Human Realm, but to everyone. Constant and unchecked travel between worlds caused an imbalance in the barriers of the realms to the point where a rip might form from too much stress. And when a rip formed, worlds that were never meant to cross began to merge and meld in a way that would warp everything beyond recognition.

When that happened, then the only choice was to track down the offending Monster and to bring them to trial before the greater powers of the Shadow Realm. The trial was never like those that were held in the Human Realms, where a criminal is presumed innocent until the proper evidence is presented. In the Shadow Realm, one's fate was already decided by the actions that had brought them to trial in the first place. The only thing left to do was to carry out a sentencing to its entirety, which was inevitably complete destruction of the soul.

That was an occasion that could put fear into even the strongest of hearts and was an even further deterrent for others who had similar abilities. Which was why it hadn't happened in a very long time. They had all learned to keep as low a profile as possible in order to survive. So much so that many Shadow Realm inhabitants had come to think that anyone other than a yami being able to travel between worlds was nothing more than a myth.

Regardless of what the majority believed and how things had come to be in the last several eons, that didn't stop the yamis from being on the look out. If they could forgo having to destroy the gifted Monsters that they caught, then it was a good chance to gain a valuable resource. Yamis were covetous by nature and one of the things that they were constantly seeking were new ways to either stabilize or expand their territories. So having another way to transport troops and supplies was always a welcomed advantage to their ranks.

Knowing all this, Yugi still couldn't believe what Solitaire had revealed to him. If she had managed to keep her secret hidden this long while in Yami's service, then it meant that she was more than capable of evading detection completely. She had no reason to expose herself to anyone, even Yugi. So why had she broken her silence and revealed this to Yugi?

"I don't understand. You know what would happen if Yami found out about this, so why are you telling me?" Yugi asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Yugi?" Solitaire replied," I'm doing this because of what you've done for me."

"Huh?" Yugi said somewhat blankly.

"Ever since I started serving you, you've always treated me with respect, Yugi. You did that even though you knew that I was a criminal and that everyone hated me for what I did. You still wanted to be my friend. For that, I can never thank you enough. The least that I can do is to help you teach Yami-sama a lesson in respect," Solitaire explained.

"A lesson in respect?" Yugi quipped, a little confused by her choice of words.

"Well, that is what you want to do, isn't it?" Solitaire countered.

Yugi immediately turned his head away so that Solitaire couldn't see the deep blush forming there. He certainly wanted Yami to acknowledge him as more than his light and lover, but he hadn't intended to make a big lesson for his lover out of it. That just seemed a little too drastic in Yugi's humbled opinion.

"I just want to show Yami that I'm not a child and that I can help more than he thinks," Yugi insisted.

"Same thing," she shrugged.

Yugi sighed, seeing no reason to argue anymore about this. He knew Solitaire well enough that once she got a certain thought into her head that there was way of removing it. She would stick that opinion and just let others wash over her like water. Sometimes, like now, maybe there was some truth to what she was saying. But that truth often ended up being a little more exaggerated than was necessary.

It was something that could be trying at times, but it was a fact that Yugi had come to accept about Solitaire. The best ways to deal with it was to either let it take its course or to steer her actions in a way that it wouldn't cause too much damage in the long run. Of course, there was no real guarantee that these methods would actually work, but it was how Yugi had always managed to get by with Solitaire.

This time, Yugi decided that it would be best if he just went with option number 2 and hope that it turned out for the best. He already knew that it would be impossible for him to just let things run their course like he had in the past. Now, just as Solitaire had tried to do for him only a few moments before, Yugi was going to have to make sure that he kept his friend calm for the most part. It wouldn't be easy, but necessary nonetheless.

"Okay, so you can travel between worlds and just need a destination to get yourself there. I guess we can use that, but are you sure that this is something that you want to do, Solitaire? You know what'll happen if you're caught," Yugi warned.

"Do I need to remind you this is me you're talking to, Yugi?" Solitaire smirked," I'm the terror of the servants, remember? Taking risks is something that I do everyday, whether I'm taking something to the kitchen or just making life miserable for those idiot guards in the south wing."

Yugi giggled," All right, I believe you. I guess the real question is where should you open a portal too. I mean, I can't go to Bakura or Marik's palaces. They'd bring me back here in a second as soon as they found me. And I'm not just going to wander around the Shadow Realm again."

"Guess that means we better start thinking about going to another realm or something. It's the only thing that I can think of. Otherwise, we might as well keep our tails planted here until Yami-sama gets some sense into that thick head," Solitaire shrugged.

Yugi was about to scold her for insulting Yami that way, but then stopped. Solitaire had referred to them both going somewhere. For a second her thought that he had either misunderstood her or that she just meant it was necessary for them to come up with a plan together. But then again, Solitaire might have other ideas.

"We? You're coming too?" Yugi asked.

Solitaire gave him a look akin to annoyed impatience, most likely aimed at what she considered to be Yugi's obvious stupidity. Did he honestly believe that she would send him off to another world by himself? A world that, aside from what from little he had heard from his yami and read about in the scrolls of the palace library, he knew absolutely nothing about? There was not a chance in the entire Void and the Shadow Realm that she was going to let that happen.

"If you think I'm just gonna let you go by yourself, then you're crazier than Marik-sama and Malik-sama combined," she snorted.

Unable to stop himself, Yugi allowed a small smile to cross his face. He knew far better than his servant did just how right she was. Marik and Malik were indeed some of the most maniacal creatures that lived in the Shadow Realm. As a yami, Marik was not as powerful as Yami himself, but he was certainly the most sadistic of the lot. And Malik could almost be considered as dark and lethal as a yami but still retained the core innocence that was inherent in all hikaris.

"Okay, so we're going together. I don't know where, but we'll be together wherever it is," Yugi nodded.

"Got that right," Solitaire snorted.

A/N: I just want to make it clear that there will be NO romantic stuff going on between Yugi and Solitaire. This is a strictly Yugi/Yami pairing. Besides, I rarely pair a canon character with one of my originals and when I do, it's because it's the only way I can get the story moving. In this case, the two are just really good friends who were comforting each other. So please, no one flame me for having Yugi want to hug Solitaire when he was feeling upset. I'm also working on the next update right now and hopefully it'll be out either in later June or early July. I'll also have a major update for Ignorance is Never Bliss since I haven't update that in awhile. Until then, later and thanks for reading.


	5. Beyond the shadows

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: Well here's chapter 4. It's a bit shorter than I had originally intended but since the original was too long to post as it was, I kinda had to cut it somewhere. So I'm putting this out and the second half of the chapter will be posted in about a week or so. I just have to write out the ending of it so that it actually makes some sense. Either way, sorry for the delay and I hope that everyone enjoys what I have here.

Chapter 4: Beyond the shadows

Word quickly spread among the servants about what had happened between yami and hikari. Except for those who had been present in the Meeting Hall when everything went down, none knew the exact details about what had occurred. The only thing that they really knew was that a rift had formed between the lovers and that was causing unease among the rest of the palace inhabitants. They knew instinctively that any trouble among their masters was bound to create problems for them as well, so all were on high alert just in case.

Of course, a new tension in the air wasn't the only abnormal thing that was occurring in the palace. The other was Yami and Yugi's new sleeping arrangements. Since their confrontation in the Meeting Hall, Yugi had slept in a different chamber than the one he normally shared with Yami. It was a bit stressful for the both of them, but Yugi wasn't budging in his decision to spend time away from Yami for what he had said. He was determined to show his dark one that he would not be so forgiving this time and that it was going to take real work to get on his good side again.

Some might have considered this a childish tactic and said that Yugi was acting like a spoiled child who had been denied a treat. Others might have seen him as simply taking his actions too far in trying to make a point to his lover. But for those who had spent a lifetime in Yugi's position, it would have been see as the only way to make another understood how he felt.

As much as he loved Yami, there was no way that he could continue to allow his lover to act the way that he had. It was time to teach him that there were consequences to everything in a relationship and that now he had to pay his dues. Still, feeling that way didn't make the whole situation any easier for Yugi. Part of him still desperately wanted to make amends with Yami so that they could be together again.

From the beginning, he never liked being separated from his yami for any length of time. The one thing that he desired above anything else was to be by Yami's side. When he was with his lover, then Yugi knew that everything would be all right. It wasn't the constant protection that his lover always provided for him nor was it the fact that it was natural for hikari and yami to be in constant company. What made it so important to be beside Yami was simply the love that Yugi had for the dark spirit and his desire to express that as much as possible.

That was why he had to stand by his decision to stay away from Yami until he had proven himself to his darker half. It was the only way that he felt that he would be able to both face his lover again and to retain his self respect. Otherwise he might just as well allow Yami to coddle him for eternity by keeping locked up in the safety of their inner chambers. So as hard as it was becoming for him to do so, Yugi continued to remain apart from Yami and block their mental link with one another.

This self-enforced isolation did have its advantages though. It gave Yugi the chance that he needed to start figuring out just what he needed to do when it came to proving himself to Yami. As of yet, even with Solitaire's help, he hadn't really thought of just where he could ask her to take them. Neither one was really familiar with what lay beyond the Shadow Realm, having only heard about such things either in the extensive palace library or rumors from those that had traveled to such places. Though in Solitaire's case, she did have some knowledge from having accidentally traveled to one particularly nasty world that she preferred to forget about. Otherwise, when they first began their search, the pair had little to go on to help them to decide where they wanted to go.

This changed after they went to the library and started to do as much research as possible. Working as discreetly as possible, they began to skim through the countless texts for possible worlds that they could visit. What they were looking for was somewhere that would provide at least some challenge but would not be too dangerous that it could prove lethal to either one of them. It was also preferable if there were some form of amiable culture on the world so that it would be possible to learn about how others lived and where it would be possible for them to blend in relatively unnoticed.

Knowing just what they wanted did help to narrow down on just how many texts that Yugi and Solitaire had to go through, but it didn't entirely limit their choices. There were actually more than a hundred worlds that could fit the profile that they were seeking and each one had characteristics that made it harder to choose among them. But even that was narrowed down a bit after Solitaire and Yugi weeded out the ones that lacked other desirable characteristics.

When the two were not researching in the library, they were in the private quarters that Yugi had chosen for himself. It was on the same corridor as the ones that he shared with Yami, but was far away enough where it wouldn't be that easy for yami and hikari to encounter one another. Not that there hadn't been a few times when that had happened of course. There were a few instances when Yugi and Solitaire had been returning to their new quarters when Yami had been coming out of the room he now lived in alone.

In those moments, there was always a tension between the two lovers. Yami would look like he wanted to say something but was entirely unsure of just what that should be. Yugi would turn his gaze away from his lover and stare at the floor. Solitaire would keep by her Master's side, ready to do something if necessary. This would go on for a few moments before Yugi would break away and disappear down the hallway into his new quarters.

Then everything would go back to being as tense as before, sometimes even more so since Yami was frustrated with being unable to say anything to make things better. It was no mystery that he wanted to apologize to Yugi for what had happened. Just like his hikari, he wanted to make their life together as wonderful and loving as he possibly could. He just wasn't sure how to make it so with Yugi withdrawing so much from him and with the other problems that were constantly popping up that kept distracting him.

Whatever was to be done, the solution wasn't going to be found anytime soon. Though he would still try to communicate with Yugi, a great deal of Yami's attention had been on preparing for the journey that had helped to start this whole mess. Through a little investigation, Solitaire had managed to find out that Yami and a select group of Monsters would be going to Yami Bakura's territory for a meeting. Just what the meeting was about, she hadn't been able to find out. That information had been closely guarded and if she didn't want to be found out, Solitaire was forced to barely scratch the surface through her search.

Still, what she had been able to find out helped Yugi to figure out exactly how they were going to do things. They had known from the beginning that it would be impossible for them to leave before Yami did. If they did, then it was almost certain that Yami would sense the energy being given off by Solitaire's transfer abilities. Once he did, then he would be hot on the trail of wherever Yugi and Solitaire went. When he caught up with them, there was no doubt in either of their minds that there would be hell to pay. Since that was something that they wanted to avoid at all costs, Yugi had decided that they would time it.

Timing it meant that they were going to have to make the transfer exactly when Yami did. By doing that, they would be able to mask the energy that their interdimensional jump gave off with the energy given off by Yami's. This would allow them to leave both the palace and Shadow Realm undetected. Thus giving them the chance to make their journey without having to worry about being chased after.

And with the world that they were going to, they were going to need all their attention on learning about the world and its people in order to survive. The world in question was the one that Yugi and Solitaire had decided upon after narrowing down their list completely. It was a world that was fairly close to the Shadow Realm, so it had been more documented than others had. The inhabitants were similar yamis and hikaris, so it would be easy for Yugi to blend in physically. Anything to do with magic was sparse outside of myths and legends, so both he and Solitaire would have to be very careful about using their abilities in front of others.

Solitaire was thinking about such while she was cleaning up the front chamber when a knock came from the main doorway. Looking up from her work, Solitaire was actually a little surprised that anyone was trying to visit them. Since this mess had started, Yugi had dismissed everyone but Solitaire from his presence. He said it was because he wanted to be alone and without distraction. As of yet, his wishes, though questioned by some, were respected by the servants.

Putting down the duster that she had been using, Solitaire went to answer it. She was extremely curious as to who their mystery visitor was until the door was opened. That was when her expression changed entirely. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she had to fight to hold back a warning hiss. For the one that she was facing was Yami's main advisor and his own bodyguard, the spellcaster known as Dark Magician. And just as Solitaire glared at him, so too did he for her.

From the start, the two Monsters had never gotten along. For what reason, no one but they were even sure about. One thing that was apparent to everyone though was the consistency of the arguments that the pair had. The norm for them was at least twice before third meal, though it wasn't uncommon for them to have up to four arguments. If they had any less than two, then the other servants knew for a fact that one of them must be sick.

Of course, no one ever said as much. No one had that much of a death wish to say anything that might turn the two from fighting with each other to joining forces against someone else. Instead they just sat back and watched things take their natural course. The natural course though, was usually letting Dark Magician and Solitaire go at it until their throats were sore from squabbling.

"What do you want?" Solitaire demanded tersely.

"I am here to inform Yugi-sama that Yami-sama wishes to see him before we depart. There is something that he wants to discuss," Dark Magician said stoically," Now let me pass, underling."

Planting herself firmly in the doorway, Solitaire shook her head defiantly. She rarely backed down from the more powerful Monster and now was not going to be one of those times. Whether he liked it or not, the Dark Magician was just going to understand that he wasn't going to get passed her on this one. If he tried, he was going to be in for an unpleasant bite to the hand again.

"No," she said.

"I said move," he ordered more forcefully.

"And I said no, wand-boy," Solitaire snapped, adding her insult as emphasis," Just like you, I've got my orders and I intend to follow them."

Dark Magician stopped short on the retort that he was about to deliver. He knew that there was only one person that Solitaire would follow orders from for any length of time and that was Yugi-sama. And if he had indeed given her some sort of orders, then it put a different light on the situation. It meant that he had to find out what those orders were and see how they entailed or conflicted with his own.

"And just what are your orders?" Dark Magician demanded.

"To keep guys like you from bothering my Master. He made it very clear that he doesn't want to see anyone else until he deems otherwise, including Yami-sama," Solitaire answered.

As much as he tried to, Dark Magician couldn't help but slightly quirk an eyebrow at Solitaire's comment. He was used to Solitaire's sass, so there wasn't anything new about that. It was just the conviction that she was using now that surprised him so much. The only time she ever acted like was when her orders were serious, which was almost never. Still, the fact that she used it at all told Dark Magician that Solitaire's orders were indeed genuine and there was absolutely nothing he could do to counter them.

The best that he could do was to use his own authority and order Solitaire to deliver the message. After doing that, all he could do was return to his master and then hope for the best. It was a small chance after so much time, but there was always the possibility that Yugi would change his mind before they left. If he did, then it might help to start patching things up between hikari and yami. Something that like everyone else Dark Magician knew was becoming more and more necessary.

Unlike the majority of the Palace inhabitants, he had seen firsthand just what sort of an effect the separation was having upon Yami. Though he was managing to hide the worst of it for when he was in private, Dark Magician had seen cracks in the mask that his Master had created. Moments when they would pass by the corridor that led to the chambers where Yugi was staying and a soft, longing shine would appear in the back of his eyes. The kind that might easily be mistaken as a trick of the light by anyone who didn't know Yami very well. But Dark Magician knew better.

With the exception of Yugi, Dark Magician considered himself to be the one person that knew Yami best. He was the one that spent the most time with the dark spirit when he was not with his lover, so it was an assumption that Dark Magician could right make. That was how he knew how to decipher those moments when Yami came close to breaking down. And it was from these experiences that helped Dark Magician to know how to handle them as best he could without Yugi present.

And for now, handling the problem was making certain that Yugi got the message. Dark Magician still had no idea what would happen. Maybe the hikari would change his mind and come visit the dark spirit before their departure or maybe he would simply to opt to remain as aloof as he had been recently. All in all, it was the only thing that Dark Magician could do for the moment.

"Very well, if Yugi-sama wishes to remain undisturbed, then I will respect his wishes and tell Yami-sama that he has declined. They will simply have to wait until our return to speak to one another," Dark Magician said," But you are to make certain that he knows that Yami-sama wanted to see him. Is that understood?"

"Yeah, I get it," Solitaire replied.

"Be sure that you do, underling. If I find out otherwise, you shall pay dearly," Dark Magician warned.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Solitaire said.

Dark Magician stared down at her for a moment more, not even wanting to comprehend just what extent that statement went to. Given Solitaire's reputation and attitude, he had no doubt that she had indeed done something that had gotten her some very strict punishments in the past. Shaking his head, he decided not to bother with the matter anymore. Now that he had at least tried completing his task, it was time to return to Yami so that they could start on their journey. With the way that things were becoming in the Shadow Realm, now was not a time to be causing delays.

So with a final glance at Solitaire, he turned and walked down the corridor. From her spot in the doorway, Solitaire watched him until he went around a corner and was out of sight. Once he was, she snorted once and then closed the door behind her. Considering the tension that had been at an all time high in the Palace, that whole thing had honestly gone better than she would have thought. She would have almost thought that Dark Magician would have been at her throat again to let Yugi know what was going on. But then she knew the stoic spellcaster better than that.

He might have been a grouch at times and tended to get a little overzealous when it came to carrying out his orders, but Solitaire knew that deep down he meant well enough. She knew that he cared for his own master the way that she did for Yugi and that he wanted to do what he could to make things better for him. So, just this once, she wouldn't cause him any grief and would deliver his message to Yugi without fail.

Turning away from the now closed doorway, Solitaire retreated down the short corridor that led to the rooms she had been sharing with Yugi. The first one was just a sitting room with a couch and a table for anyone who wanted to make small talk. This Solitaire passed through without a second thought as she made a beeline for Yugi's sleeping chamber. This room Solitaire started to enter normally but then slowed her pace when she saw Yugi.

He sat on a pile of cushions at a far window with his back to her. His full gaze was focused to the world beyond his window, so Yugi gave no clue as to whether or not he was aware of Solitaire's presence. This caused her to come to a full stop a few steps away from Yugi while she considered the best way to tell him what Dark Magician had said and what was happening. For once though, Yugi saved her the trouble of solving her dilemma and made the first move.

"Was it Dark Magician?" Yugi asked without even glancing back.

"Yeah," Solitaire nodded.

"And he had a message from Yami saying that he wanted to see me?" Yugi continued.

"Yes," Solitaire said.

For a moment, Yugi remained silent. He continued to stare out the window into the shifting shadows beyond. His face remained a blank and gave no clue to the storm that was raging within him. A storm that had been going on ever since he had decided to take this course of action. One that often made him question just what he was doing and if it was truly the right course of action. Made him wonder if it would just be better to stop right then and there so that he could go back into his lover's embrace.

Yugi shook his head when that thought threatened to take over yet again, letting the single tear that had managed to make its presence known to fall unnoticed to the floor. He would neither let himself fall into the old ways nor would he allow himself to cry like he had in the past. Come what may, he would stick with his chosen path and follow it without regret.

"If he sent Dark Magician, then Yami must be getting ready to leave on his trip. So we better start getting ready to do too," Yugi finally said.

"Guess so," Solitaire agreed.

Getting up, Yugi left his window and went over to a bureau that was in the corner. Like most of the other furniture in the palace, it was constructed of a special stone that was found in the Shadow Realm. It was small and decorated with carvings of delicate creatures like Dream Sprites and Emissary of the Oasis in positions of dancing and enjoying the freedom that came for their kinds. The size made it unable to hold much more than some clothing and a few other trinkets, but that suited Yugi just fine. It was more than enough to hold what he was looking for.

Opening one of the doors, Yugi reached into one of the back corners. Feeling around, he took a moment to find what he was looking for under the tunics that he had placed over it. When he finally felt exactly what he wanted, Yugi pulled his target out of the corner. In his hand he held a travel bag that he had packed for this occasion. In it were some clothes, rations and small trinkets that he had packed for the trip. The clothes he would be able to make last, but the food would only last for a week at most.

Yugi knew that if things worked out for them, then it wouldn't matter how long the food lasted. If they were able to do well on the world that they had chosen for their trip, then they wouldn't have to worry about finding something to eat. They would be able to get food from the natives either through friendship or by trading the pieces of jewelry that he had packed. And if things didn't work out and they had to return home again, then it really didn't matter.

The possibility of that happening was something that Yugi tried to avoid thinking about. He knew that there was a strong chance that they might not be able to make it on the world that they had chosen, no matter how much research and preparation they had put into their upcoming trip. If he thought more positively about this, then Yugi thought it would have a better chance of succeeding. So he was trying to do what he could to make things start off as well as he could.

"You got everything?" Solitaire said as she watched Yugi.

Wrapping the strap over his shoulder, Yugi replied," Yep. I think I might have put a little too much, but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry."

Solitaire just nodded. She herself didn't worry about packing any supplies like food and clothes because as a Monster those weren't necessary for her. The only thing she wore was her own scales since they were the only protection that she needed. As for food, Solitaire wasn't picky about what she had. She could either share with Yugi or just hunt for her own. She could satisfy her hunger either way.

"Can you feel anything yet?" Yugi asked.

By asking this, he was referring to whether or not Solitaire sensed any interdimensional energy. Just as Yami would be able to sense any transfers that Solitaire or anyone with her abilities made, so too could she with him. That was how they would be able to time the jump at the same time Yami and his group made theirs. So it was crucial that Yugi be sure that Solitaire know exactly when they had to leave or risk everything falling apart.

"Not yet, but it should be soon. It won't take Dark Magician long to reach Yami-sama and tell him what I said. Give or take, I think it'll be a few minutes before they jump. So you better go ahead and grab hold of me just in case," Solitaire replied.

Nodding once, Yugi reached down and scooped up Solitaire. He held her before him so that she would be free to concentrate on the jump without losing him. For, as Solitaire had explained, the only way that she could transport anyone else with her was only if they were touching her. Otherwise, she would just disappear on her own and leave any would be companion behind.

"I haven't done this since before I met you, so it might get a little bumpy," Solitaire warned, twisting her head so that she could look up at her friend.

"Okay, I'll be ready," Yugi nodded.

"Good, now just hold on and leave the rest to me because I think Yami-sama's getting ready to jump now," Solitaire replied.

The statement was so sudden that Yugi never had a chance to respond. A rush of energy came over him as Solitaire started to concentrate on transporting them to their target. The room around them started to blur as the reality around them was left behind and they started to move into another one. Blackness soon followed, though Yugi remained aware through the entire thing. He could still feel Solitaire's weight in his arms, so he knew that their bodies were still as solid as ever.

That didn't stop the fear from welling up inside of him as they started to free fall among the blackness. For a second, Yugi's fear almost caused him to forget his resolve and reach out to Yami through their link. But just as suddenly as the blackness had come, it started to disappear. A new reality of colors and shapes started to take form before his eyes. A reality that would soon provide a change in his life that would go far beyond just leaving Yami and the Shadow Realm behind.

A/N: Okay, it's a little rushed I know, but I wanted to get straight to the point in this chapter. I hope that it made enough sense. If not, just post any questions with your reviews and I'll answer them in the next chapter. Also the rivalry that I have between Dark Magician and Solitaire was put there just for humor's sake, no matter how dry. It's something that I'll get into more in later chapters, so no worries.


	6. Welcome to Domino

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 5: Welcome to Domino

A/N: Ugh. I know that I said that I would have this chapter out a week after posting the last one, but two things got in my way. One was a really bad case of writer's block that sat on my brain like a sumo wrestler and the other was a bad Internet connection. For some reason the connection quit working and I had to wait two weeks before I was able to get it fixed. So again, sorry for the delay in this. To make up for it, I made this chapter extra long so that you can have more to read and a chance to learn about just what sort of trouble Yugi and Solitaire are about to get themselves into. Enjoy and I'll see everyone at the end of the chapter.

When his vision cleared, Yugi took a moment to examine his new surroundings. In palace of the delicately carved stone walls of his chambers was now replaced by walls of reddish stone that rose high into the air. A pathway of stone and dirt that led to a closed off area where there were what appeared to be plants lining what was possibly a fence. This path was lined with a few metal cylinders on one side and bits of debris lay scattered at his feet. The other end of the path continued a short distance and then disappeared around the corner of one of the strange buildings. Countless new smells reached his nose and nearly caused his brain to go into overload as it tried to process everything. It was all so different and new to him that for a moment, he actually didn't know what to make of what he was now facing.

"Whoa," Yugi breathed.

"I'm not sure that's the word for it," Solitaire said.

Yugi broke out of his reverie about their new surroundings and looked down at Solitaire. His eyes widened slightly when he saw that Solitaire's normally vibrant scales were somewhat duller than he could ever remember them being. The same applied to her eyes as well as she stared back rather calmly at her companion. His own expression became one of worry and confusion as Yugi tried to understand just what had happened to Solitaire.

"Solitaire, are you okay? What's wrong?" Yugi demanded urgently.

"I'm fine, Yugi, just a little tired from the jump. Whenever I make a jump like that, it drains a good portion of my energy and leaves me looking a little gray. But I'll be okay in a few minutes after I rest," Solitaire explained.

"Oh. Are you sure?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Solitaire nodded," But what about you? How'd you take your first interdimensional jump?"

Smiling slightly, Yugi answered," I'm fine. I've just never felt anything like that before. I could still feel you but everything else around me was just gone. It was like there was nothing else except you and me."

"Then it was perfectly normal. That's how it usually goes the first time and stays that way until you get used to it," Solitaire said as she started to squirm for Yugi to put her down.

Taking the hint, Yugi released Solitaire and allowed her to stand on her own. When she swayed a little, he wasn't so certain that that was such a good idea. Solitaire was still looking a little discolored, so Yugi was more than a bit worried for her health. But despite his misgivings, Yugi could tell that Solitaire was starting to recover from her energy drain. Her balance was starting to steady out and her color was slowly but surely returning to its normal state. Judging from that, there was no doubt that it would only be a little while before she would be fully recovered.

So he would try to make sure that she took it easy until then. The last thing that either of them needed was for Solitaire to suddenly fall ill when they on their own. Being so far away from home, even with Yugi's healing magic as insurance against such things, there would be no one else to help them if something happened. Which meant it would be a good idea for them to pace themselves until they were more familiar with things.

"So we're here now. What do you want to do first?" Solitaire asked after taking a glance around and then back to Yugi.

"Um, explore I guess. We really can't do much else until we get to know this place," Yugi shrugged.

He couldn't help but feeling a little daunted at Solitaire's question. Talking about exploring this new world was one thing, while actually exploring it was another. Beyond what he had read in the scrolls, Yugi really had no idea what they should really do first. There were no forms of life for them to talk with, so questioning anyone about their present location was out of the question. So there wasn't much for them to really do except just look around and see what they could find.

"Exactly what do we explore? All I see is a bunch of dirt, some weird buildings, and a bunch of really weird rocks," Solitaire replied.

She kicked a few at her feet in example. Most just scattered off to the sides and landed against one another in heaps. One more rounded stone took a different course though and rolled to Yugi's feet. In the course of doing so, some of the dirt that coated its sides rubbed off against the harsh surface of the ground. This revealed patches of somewhat bright patches of red and green that shined through a very clear surface. Curious, Yugi bent down and picked up the stone.

Holding it in his hand, he examined it for a moment. The rock he had was actually a perfect sphere shape than any regular rock shape that he was expecting. Other than the dirt that was covering it, there were no rough spots on the rock. When he wiped away a little more of the dirt, he found that the patches of red and green were on the inside of a clear surface. These joined together in a spiral that reached right through the stone from top to bottom.

"Wow. What a pretty rock," Yugi breathed.

"I don't think that's a rock, Yugi. It's too round," Solitaire commented.

"All right. If it's not a rock, then what is it?" Yugi asked.

Solitaire could only shrug at this. Like her Master, her knowledge of places beyond the Shadow Realm was extremely limited. Most of her concepts were based upon hearsay of other palace Monsters and rumors that were spread about by nomads mixed with what little she had learned in the palace library. So the best that she could go with anything was to take a guess and hope that it was right.

"Well rock or not, it's still really pretty," Yugi commented.

"If you say so," Solitaire said doubtfully.

Personally, she didn't see the big deal about Yugi's discovery. While he saw something special, all she saw was a lousy bit of trash that looked like a Summoned Skull had hacked it up. To Solitaire, that was a pretty good sign that what Yugi had found was just a piece of debris that one of this world's inhabitants had tossed aside. Either that or it had somehow broken off from one of the tall buildings that surrounded them.

Regardless of her opinion, Solitaire decided again telling it to Yugi. Since it was his first discovery in another dimension, she saw no reason to spoil his fun. After all, everything here was so new to him that it was exciting and worthy to be explored. So for the moment, she would just let him enjoy himself without worry. There would be time enough for that later when they had to interact with the dominant and possibly civilized natives.

Looking away from Yugi and instead at their surroundings, Solitaire was actually a bit surprised that they hadn't run into any of said natives yet. She would have thought that with all the obvious signs of construction hovering over their heads, there would have been at least one other sign of life besides themselves. But for the moment, all Solitaire had seen was Yugi, herself, and some very odd-looking creatures that she was assuming were insects.

While she was busy contemplating this, Yugi started to wander further down the strange path that they had landed on. At first he had been tempted to investigate the strange plants so that he could study them further and compare them to the ones in the Shadow Realm. But then he changed his mind and instead chose to explore more towards the corner where the path disappeared. Now that he had found one artifact, his former fears had dissipated enough where he was more than ready to find something else and that route seemed to offer more of a possibility to him. Then he could start to build a collect to help him study this world's culture and be able to share this knowledge with Yami when they returned to the Shadow Realm.

His excitement sobered a little at the thought of Yami. No matter what he was doing in order to better himself, Yugi still missed his lover terribly. That was natural enough, since no matter how angry he was at Yami or how much he wanted to prove himself, Yugi still wanted to spend as much time with Yami as possible. They might have had an eternity together, but that couldn't deter the feelings that Yugi had about being away from Yami.

_But we'll be together again soon, _Yugi promised silently, _As soon as I'm done here and can prove to Yami that I can do more than he believes, then we can be together again._

While Yugi considered this, he soon found himself near his destination. The corner wasn't that far off, but something else had caught Yugi's eye. It was a grayish-blue color that stood out greatly against the red stone that made of the high walls surrounding him. At first, it was hard to make out just what it was because it was hidden behind one of the metal cylinders that were against the walls.

Out of curiosity, Yugi stepped closer to investigate. Reaching out, he pulled the object from where it was so that he could get a better look at it. His eyes widened slightly when he saw that what he was looking at was some sort of bag, probably belonging to one of the world's native inhabitants. It was larger than his own by half and was more than twice the weight as what he carried at his side. The design was quite different as well.

While his bag had only one strap and was worn at the side with said strap over the shoulder, this bag had two straps. The length of these straps indicated that it was meant to be worn by a person much larger than himself. It had many more compartments as well, after seeing how many openings there appeared to be on the bag. The material that made what these openings led to was also unlike anything that Yugi had seen before. Where his bag had been made from the shed skin of a Rude Kaiser, this one appeared to be made from some sort of cloth. Cloth that was well worn and tattered in some areas, which showed that the bag he held had either seen a lot of use or was of great age.

Looking it over once more, Yugi decided to take a look inside. He knew that it might be considered rude by the people who lived in this world to look at others' possessions without permission, but his curiosity was still getting the better of him. Besides, he had no intention of removing the contents from the bag. All Yugi wanted to do was to see some of the items that the inhabitants might possess.

Before he could attempt to find a way to open the bag though, a hand shot out and grasped his wrist roughly. Startled, Yugi let out a gasp as the bag was ripped from his grip. A warning growl from whoever had grabbed him caused Yugi to look up to see just what or who had grabbed him. What he met was a pair very irritated looking brown eyes that showed him about as much mercy as a Baby Dragon about to tackle a Skull Servant for a snack.

Those eyes were a part of the face of a creature that was more than similar to himself than Yugi would have ever guessed, despite the fact that his research had told him such. Like himself, the being walked upright on two legs, lacked a tail, and was covered in a lightly tanned skin that lacked either fur or scale. It had only one patch of hair on the top of its head which was a blonde color that reminded Yugi of pale imitation of the Winged Dragon of Ra's scales.

Clothing was a complete opposite of one another. While Yugi wore one of his pale blue travel tunics, the one who held him was dressed in a dark blue jacket and matching pants. There appeared to be what could be a white tunic underneath, but it was hard for Yugi to tell for sure. The white patch was mostly covered by the blue sections of the clothing. Not that it really mattered in the long run just what the creature was wearing. What really mattered were the emotions that burned in the creature's eyes that were directed at Yugi. These seemed to intensify since Yugi had begun to stare at the being and its features.

"Just what the hell do ya think ya were doin' with my stuff, punk?" the creature grated out.

For a moment, Yugi was uncertain of just how he should answer. He knew that he should tell this being, this person, that he hadn't meant any harm. He had only found the bag and was curious to see just what was in it. Yugi had no intention to do more than that, honestly. But the more he looked into those brown eyes, the more the words Yugi wanted to say became lodged in his throat. All he could do was just stand there gaping in fear and confusion.

"You heard me, ya little creep. What were ya doin' with my stuff?" the creature demanded again, tightening his grip on Yugi's wrist.

"Aah!" Yugi yelped.

He tried to pull away to make the slowly growing pain stop, but the grip on his wrist was too tight. Instead the creature just pulled him closer and glared down at him more harshly. Whatever held him obviously wasn't pleased with Yugi's actions. It wanted its question answered and it wanted that now. Any amount of struggling or delay would only make it more determined.

"Jonouchi Katsuya! What are you doing?" a voice demanded from behind.

Slightly startled, the being broke out of its glaring and turned to look behind it. Being much shorter than his captor, Yugi wasn't able to make out whatever had come. All he could sense was the presence of at least two newcomers. Newcomers which provided him with the chance that he needed to break free. So while his captor was distracted, Yugi quickly broke away.

He stumbled away, clutching his still aching wrist to his chest. Yugi could already tell that nothing was broken. The worst that he would probably get was a bruise that he would have to heal with his light magic. He knew that despite being sore, the pain would also pain very quickly since his former captor hadn't had a hold on him for very long. So he didn't have to worry about that either nor did it hold his attention for long.

What did hold Yugi's attention was what he saw when he was able to regain his footing again. To his surprise, the one who had called out to his captor was another of the same species and wore similar clothing. Only this one shaped differently with more feminine features and a less harsh expression on her face. At her side was another like his captor, though this one was not female. It was, after Yugi glanced back and forth between the two, possibly a male of the native species who wore exactly the same outfit as the other.

Neither of the newcomers' attention was focused on Yugi at the moment though, so he able to observe them undisturbed for a moment. Their attention was one the one who had taken hold of him, the brown-eyed one with yellow hair. The female was glaring at his former captor while the other male just stood there with what appeared to be an exasperated expression on his face. The one they were focused on had his back to Yugi, so it was impossible to make out what sort of expression he had at the moment.

"Jonouchi, what are you doing to that kid? Leave him alone," the female demanded.

Turning his attention back to Yugi, the one now labeled as Jonouchi snapped back," Buzz off, Anzu. I'll leave'em alone after I've taught this punk some manners. He's gotta learn not to mess with other people's stuff. So you and Honda just stay out of this."

"Jonouchi!" Anzu called more sharply.

She hoped that it would be enough to get her friend's attention back again and draw it away from the strange child that he was looming over. If she could do that, then maybe she would have a chance to calm him down before he managed to teach the youngster a 'lesson' for whatever he had done. The type of lesson was one that he often gave to younger boys when Jou thought that they were heading down the wrong path. It was nothing that would cause the child physical harm, but it would, in Jou's opinion, that would keep him out of trouble.

He himself had come from a very rocky background. His childhood had been spent dealing with a drunk father, dodging bullies and fighting for his place when he was able to do so. Everything had been fast paced and the only certainty was that you never knew what tomorrow would bring you. It was only through his own determination and a bit of luck that he had managed to get away from that sort of life. Now he was living an existence that at one time would have seemed like an impossible fantasy.

Having made such a good life for himself, Jou had decided long ago to make it his mission to help others in similar situations or who appeared to be heading down the wrong road. Not by giving them money or immediately getting them out of trouble, that just wasn't Jou's style. To him, the only way that anyone would learn to keep on the right track was the same way that he had, through the school of hard knocks. So whenever he had the chance to, he might rough up the delinquents that he came across if they were tough enough or just scare them if what they were doing was something minor.

When he had more or less come across Yugi, that had been Jou's plan. Just by looking at the strangely dressed boy, he could guess that the kid wasn't from this side of town and judging from the way he acted, probably wasn't on the same level as most children either. The most likely scenario was that he had found the bag, saw that no one was around, and then decided just to take it for the kicks. Still, it didn't hurt to scare him a little so that he wouldn't do it again. Then he would stay out of trouble in the future. Too bad for Jou that plan was never going to come to fruition.

Jou never even stood a chance. Before he could so much as move towards Yugi, bolts of crackling electricity struck him across every inch of his body. In shock and pain, he cried out as his body felt like it was being torn apart from every angle. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain as he instinctively started to try to escape whatever was attacking him. It did him little good though, as the shocks continued for several seconds during his struggles.

Finally though, the electricity flow ceased. Jou was not free from its effects though, as he could still feel the aches brought on by the small electrocution and the final sparks that still leapt to life across his body. It was a moment or so before he recovered enough to actually be able to move again and when he did, Jou regretted it immensely. His body ached terribly from the surge that had run through it and the burns that had been left behind.

Biting back a groan, Jou lifted himself up and leaned back against the nearest trashcan for support. He then looked around to see just what had hit him. His numbed mind already knew that what had just happened wasn't just a coincidence. There was no way for electricity to just come out of nowhere and just start electrifying people. So that meant there had to be something else that had caused it. And when he looked to where the boy he had come across was, Jou got a bigger answer than he had bargained for.

Standing between him and the humans was a bristling Solitaire. Sparks crackled off every inch of her body, glittering gold and blue as the intensity of the charge grew. A snarl crossed her face as she slowly advanced on the humans, looking as if she were sizing them up for another attack. They wisely started to back away as she did so, each already fearing just what the electrified beast might do next.

What she did for now was to glare at a still recovering Jonouchi. Her black eyes went to mere slits as she took in the sight of the human. Jaws opened slightly to reveal her fangs and to give off a sharp hiss of warning. Claws on all four webbed paws unsheathed to their fullest length as she crouched forward, extending one paw in a second display of warning.

"If you value your miserable life, then keep your hands to yourself, you stupid creature," she snarled.

Jou's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets at the sound of Solitaire's voice. It wasn't bad enough that he was getting electrocuted by some weird kid's pet psycho dragon creature that had no right to exist, but now he had to listen to it chew him out. This was just too much for his brain to process at once. As such, he nearly fainted from the shock of it all. The only thing that kept him sitting upright was the trashcan that he was leaning against.

Nearby his friends were expressing similar reactions to what they were seeing. When they had first come upon the scene between Jou and the strange child, all Anzu and Honda had intended to do was to break things up until they knew just what had happened. They had stopped in their tracks as soon as the sparks had started flying. Unable to do anything against the electric storm, the two could do nothing but watch helplessly as Jou was knocked back and seemingly fried.

Now they were stuck watching as a miniature dragon was chewing their friend out. Unsure of what to do and out of fear of being electrocuted themselves, Anzu and Honda hung back a little longer. Jou just sat where he was, also afraid that he might have to face a second mini electrocution if he angered the dragon any further. That was how they all remained, in silence, until Yugi decided that enough was enough.

"Stop it, Solitaire. Just leave him alone," Yugi ordered.

The spell was broken with those words. In surprise, Solitaire looked from her prey and back to her friend. But only partially of course, since she wasn't about to make the mistake of letting her guard down among such hostile creatures. She had already done that once since they had gotten to this new world and it had almost gotten Yugi hurt. Solitaire wasn't about to take a second chance until they were on more solid footing.

"Excuse me?" she asked her master.

"I said just leave him alone. You didn't have to hurt him so bad, Solitaire. He was just upset at what I had done. There's nothing wrong with that," Yugi chided.

If this weren't her friend and Master talking, then Solitaire would have seriously given Yugi a piece of her mind. Only a complete fool or innocent could believe that there was no reason to retaliate. These humans had had no right to act the way that they did. Even if they didn't know who or what Yugi truly was, the human should at least have enough decency to give him a chance to explain himself. It was the proper thing to do instead of just launching off into a mindless tirade.

"It's wrong if he tries to hurt my friend for no good reason, Yugi. He should've let you explain, not try to hit you," Solitaire snorted.

Kneeling beside her, Yugi said gently," I know, Solitaire, and I'm glad that you were here to help me. But still, it isn't right to hurt someone to stop them. You could've done something else."

She knew that it was the hikari in Yugi talking right now, so Solitaire bit back another sharp retort. Once again, she knew that his instinctual desire to make peace between arguing parties was already setting in. He saw no real threat in these humans, since from their research, he knew that they had no magical energies as they did. What he hadn't realized and Solitaire had was that even without magic, the humans presented a physical threat that had to be dealt with accordingly when they proved violent.

That was a fact that couldn't be ignored when one was visiting other worlds. One always had to be prepared to face challenges that might involve tough decisions. Decisions that might not always have the best outcomes, no matter what the intentions of anyone else who might be involved. Which was why Solitaire had acted as she had. She knew that when Jou had threatened her friend, then he had to be taught a lesson about picking on someone smaller than himself.

Still, since she didn't want to upset Yugi any further, Solitaire decided not to voice this information. Instead, she just bowed her head and conceded to Yugi's decision to forgive the human. It was his choice after all, since he was the one who had been wronged and simply because he was her master. She would abide by what he felt was right in this situation.

Not that she was going to drop her guard while the human and his companions were still around though. No matter what Yugi said or did, that was something that she was not going to do. Until they had proven themselves to her, she would keep a sharp eye on the group of humans while they were in each other's company. It was another little something that Solitaire kept to herself, just so Yugi wouldn't feel the need to argue over the situation anymore.

Yugi, satisfied that he was able to talk some sense into his companion, just smiled gratefully as he patted Solitaire's crest. Then he turned his attention back to the human. Jou was still crouched against the trashcan where he had propped himself up after Solitaire's attack. He continued to stare at the boy who was quickly becoming the most bizarre and dangerous person that he had ever encountered in his life.

"I'm sorry that Solitaire hurt you. She was just trying to help me," Yugi apologized," I'm also sorry for taking your bag. I didn't know it was yours and was just curious to see what was in it. I hope that was okay."

Jou didn't even try to answer him. He was still trying to figure out just what sort of kid he had come across and why in the world said kid had a talking, electrified dragon as his bodyguard. It just wasn't natural for such an animal to even exist. The only place that someone was supposed to be able to find such things were in books and in the movies. If they were found anywhere else, it was a sure sign that someone was going insane.

He snapped to attention again when he felt someone touch one of his burns on his arm. Looking up, Jou saw that Yugi was now kneeling beside him and was examining the burns that Solitaire's electricity had given him. Though he regretted it afterwards when he felt the pain shooting through him, Jou jerked his arm away from Yugi's grasp. An aggravated hiss escaped him as he tried to clutch his arm to his chest protectively while glaring at the one who dared to touch his bruises.

"What the hell are ya tryin' to do now?" Jou demanded.

"It's partially my fault that you're like this, so I'm going to help you," Yugi explained, taking hold of Jou's arm before he could protest again," Now please, just relax and hold still. This will go smoother if you don't tense up."

Jou looked more than a little dubious at Yugi's instructions. He had no idea what kind of prank this strange boy was trying to pull or even what he was doing with an electrified bodyguard. All that he was certain of was that he wanted to get as far away from the both before something else nailed him. Nearly getting electrocuted once in a day was more than enough to last him a lifetime.

Still, when he looked into Yugi's eyes, a strange sense of trust fell over the teen. He knew that as much as he might want to run, somehow it just wouldn't be right. It would cause him to show a cruelty towards someone who didn't deserve that kind of treatment. So as much as he wanted to resist, Jou did as he was told and remained still while Yugi moved closer to the area where he had been burned.

Placing both hands on the burns, Yugi closed his eyes and started to concentrate. A few seconds passed before a soft, violet glow began to form around his hands. It steadily spread from his hands across the burns on Jou, casting an outline over the injuries that he had suffered. As the burns were healed, the outline steadily began to shrink as the damage disappeared. Soon, there was nothing left to show that there had ever been an injury to begin with.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yugi removed his hands and surveyed his handiwork. It wasn't one of the most extensive jobs that he had ever done, so he hadn't been forced to expand much energy. But from the look of things, it had come out as flawless as the other times Yugi had used his powers to heal others. Once he was satisfied that Jou was no longer in pain, he looked up to see how the human was doing. What greeted him were three pairs of eyes that were bugging out in shock at what he had just done.

"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked.

"T-hat's impossible!" Anzu squeaked.

"How the hell did you do that!" Honda demanded.

Yugi only looked at them in confusion at first. Was what he had done for their friend really that strange? He honestly couldn't see how it could be. All he had done was to help set right the misunderstanding that he had started in the first place. Then his thoughts started to shift as he realized that their astonishment might have to do with the face that humans probably weren't used to seeing this sort of thing. After all, hadn't the research that he and Solitaire had done said that humans either had no idea that magic existed or thought it was a very rare occurrence.

He groaned inwardly. Yugi couldn't believe that he hadn't forgotten something as important as that. He had been so adamant that he try to blend in with the humans so that it would be easier to coexist with them. It was the only way to make sure that they didn't become afraid of him while he was among them. Now though, thanks to Solitaire revealing herself and then using his powers to heal the human, Yugi that his chance at such a thing had been blown.

While he was busy trying figure out how to recover from this blunder, Anzu and Honda took the chance to get a little closer to Jou and the two strangers. Not close enough where it make Solitaire retaliated, but enough where they could get a better look at just what had happened to their friend. They still couldn't believe what they had seen. It just didn't seem possible that someone would have the power to actually heal another person then and there without the use of medication and bandages.

That brought a million questions to mind as to just what the boy before them really was. There was no way he could be human, unless he was one of those people who were supposed to have 'special' powers that popped up in the news from time to time. The kind of powers that were supposed to allow people to heal injuries and sickness within moments, having great strength above normal humans, and so on.

If that was the case, then this was a once in a lifetime discovery for the trio and for more than one reason. From a medical point of view, Yugi's powers could be used to both further pharmaceutical science and possibly save countless lives in the process. But for people who were seeking financial gain, then it was an entirely different story. Then the intentions were meant only for the gain of a few at the expense of another person.

They might not know anything about Yugi beyond his healing ability and what appeared to be a very kind nature, which wasn't something that they wanted to happen to the boy. So they would do what they could to keep that from happening to him and make sure they kept his ability under wraps. At least until it was possible for them to figure out just who he was and what was going on.

Glancing first at Honda and then Jou, Anzu decided to be the one to ask the much needed questions or at least start things off. Moving slowly, she held her hands up in display to show a still very wary Solitaire that she was neither armed nor had any intention of harming anyone. That her only intentions were peaceful ones and that she hoped that the dragon would understand that. Thankfully, after a moment's consideration, Solitaire seemed to accept Anzu's gesture and allowed her to come closer without fear of attack.

"Um, excuse me?" Anzu said uncertainly.

Looking up at her with startled eyes, Yugi replied," Yes?"

"Thanks for helping Jou and all," Anzu started," Uh, I know this might sound a little strange and kinda rude, but I was wondering…?"

"You want to know about my healing powers, right?" Yugi finished.

"Yes, b-but only if you want to talk about. I-er we're just a little curious. We've never seen anything like that before except in movies and on TV," Anzu blushed.

Yugi had no idea what either movies or TV was, but he understood the girl's meaning. Just as he had read in the scrolls, the people of this world weren't used to seeing the kind of talents that were considered commonplace in his. So it was no question that she and the others were curious to know just what they had encountered. The problem was how he going to explain everything without causing more trouble than he already had. He didn't want to lie to them since he knew that it would create a bad impression if they ever learned otherwise, but he also knew that he couldn't reveal everything.

These people were still strangers no matter how one looked at it, so he had to be careful in what he said. Too much information could be more than they could handle and possibly cause them more harm than good. On the other hand, if he revealed too little about himself or simply ignored their questioning, then he would both create mistrust among the first people that he had met and give a rude example of how his own people acted. So after weighing these options, Yugi decided that there was only one course that he could take. He would tell these people the truth. Enough where they could at least understand but not enough where what they learned could cause any harm.

"I understand what you're asking and why. I suppose I would too in your case. Anything new and unusual can make anyone curious," Yugi replied," But I promise that it's nothing for you to be afraid of. I only use my healing magic to help others and my other skills to protect myself."

"Magic? You call what you just did magic?" Honda asked.

"Yes. What else would you call it?" Yugi replied.

There was no answer from the three standing before him. They were all still trying to comprehend that he called his ability magic instead of power and then his claim that he had other magical abilities besides what they had just seen. Knowing this was making all of their heads spin as they tried to process the information. Something that probably wasn't going to happen any time soon from the almost twitching expressions that the group was starting to exhibit.

"I take it that you don't have another name for magic then?" Yugi sighed.

"N-no. We have a name for magic," Anzu choked out," We just usually see it like you just did. Magic like that isn't real here."

"Oh. Then I guess that's why you were scared. You're not used to seeing it," Yugi nodded.

"We're not used to psycho dragons either," Jou muttered as he lifted himself from the ground and to his feet again.

"Watch it, buster, unless you want another taste of my Glint Strike," Solitaire warned.

"Solitaire, I said no more name calling," Yugi scolded, reaching out to pet his friend's spikes.

"And stop antagonizing the dragon, Jou. It'll be your own fault if you get zapped a second time," Anzu warned.

"You know he won't listen, Anzu. He's got a head harder than rock," Honda snorted.

Now that he knew they weren't going to be attacked, he too had come closer to the rest. Honda now stood near Anzu while Jou was still by the trashcan and the two strangers. Just watching them set off a million questions in his mind that were shared by his friends after they had heard Yugi's confession about having magical powers. Such as if he was human then what was he, where he had come from, and just why he and his electrified dragon had decided to pay a visit to Earth.

Those were the only types of questions that were running through Anzu and Jou's heads. In Honda's mind though, it was an entirely different story. Though he too was wondering just who and what Yugi might be, he was worried about someone overhearing their conversation. With something like this, it could be dangerous if things got out of hand or something just went wrong.

"Maybe we should talk about this somewhere we WON'T attract a lot of attention," Honda suggested forcefully.

The others looked at him and then at each other. What he had said made more than enough sense. Speaking out in the open really wasn't something that they should be doing when it came t this sort of subject. There was no telling just who might be listening or what they might do if they heard anything. And since that was a chance that they weren't willing to take, it was time to move and fast.

"Fine. We can go back to my place and figure this stuff out," Jou said.

Anzu and Honda looked at each other uncertainly. They knew that Jou's home was nearest of the three and definitely had more room, but there were also his housemates to consider. One was energetic and understanding, so they might be able to get him to accept Yugi and Solitaire without any problems. It was Jou's other housemate that presented the major problem.

Around anyone but his two housemates, his mannerism was glacial at worst and surly at best. He downright loathed having to deal with anyone that he considered to be of lower intelligence, which was what he believed to be the case with the majority of the human population. Which meant that most of the time he left those around him either feeling outraged at his behavior or feeling lower than a mold growing in some dark corner. Something which Honda and Anzu really didn't want to expose their new friends to just yet.

"Um, no one else is home, are they, Jou?" Anzu asked uncertainly.

"Nah. Moneybag's at a meeting and the kid's at a friend's house studying. Why?" Jou said," You ain't got a problem with going to my place, do ya?"

"No, no," Honda said quickly.

"Of course not. We just want to be sure that no one else is gonna be around. I mean, we can't take too many chances, right?" Anzu agreed quickly.

"Huh?" Jou said almost stupidly.

"Well, think about it," Anzu continued," We already agree that we have to be careful about who might hear us. Kaiba and Mokuba might be out, but there are still the maids who work there. What if they overhear us?"

Before Jou had a chance to respond, Solitaire snapped," If they do, then we'll deal with it. But standing around like a bunch of starstruck nestlings isn't going to get things moving any faster. So you wanna, then let's just go to this guy's house and be done with it. Otherwise, buzz off and let us get on with our business."

Her blunt words earned a surprised look from Anzu, a glare from Honda, a look of semi-appreciation from Jou, and a sigh from Yugi. The first because she didn't think anyone would ever be that straightforward. The second was just getting annoyed with anything that came out of Solitaire's mouth since it either bordered along insult or condemnation for them. The third because there was finally someone who was agreeing with him, even though it wasn't really intentional. The fourth because he knew that somehow his friend was going to wind up getting into trouble again.

"Okay, you guys heard the dragon. We're goin' to my place," Jou announced.

"Fine, we'll go," Honda sighed as he took off his jacket and handed it to Yugi," But the little guy better wear this. He's gonna get looked at funny if anyone sees him in just a shirt."

"It's not a shirt. It's a tunic," Yugi corrected.

"Shirt, tunic, whatever. Just put this on, kid. You'll get fewer stares that way," Honda instructed.

Yugi looked like he wanted to protest but then thought better of it. If these people claimed that he would receive from their peers because of his clothing, then he would have to believe them. This was their world after all and so they knew it far better than he did. So he took the jacket and slipped it on. Needless to say, the fit really wasn't exact. Yugi was barely over half Honda's height and that left his jacket covering Yugi almost to his knees. Still, no matter no one looked at it, his own clothes were effectively covered from sight.

"All right, let's get goin' then," Jonouchi said as he shouldered his bag and started off.

"Um okay," Yugi agreed, following after the taller.

Anzu and Honda nodded then started after the other two. For a brief second, Solitaire watched them go. She couldn't believe things were going this way. She had no idea if mixing with this particular group would prove to be beneficial or not, but she could tell that it wasn't going to be boring. Especially since the next time the one named Jonouchi tried to hurt Yugi like he had earlier, Solitaire wouldn't just zap him. She would be playing for keeps.

A/N: Okay, I know that I said that I wouldn't bash someone unless I hated them, but this time I made an exception. The semi Jou bashing that I'm going to be doing is at the request of a friend. She's not very fond of Jou and asked me to do something to him in this story. So please, if there are any Jou fans out there, please don't flame me. I'm just doing this to make a friend happy since she's such a big help with getting these stories off the ground.


	7. Humanity aka Hikari Confusion

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 6: Humanity aka Hikari confusion

A/N: .; I think that I might have gone a little overboard with this chapter. I had originally planned to make it a lot shorter, but it sort of took on a life of its own as I wrote it and it ended up as is. I thought of chopping this one up like I did for previous chapters, but thought that might be too much of a pain for readers, so I kept it as it is. If anyone does prefer a more condensed version, please let me know and I'll make the adjustments the next time I post. Thank you and please enjoy the chapter.

It had been one thing to say that they were going to Jou's home but it was a completely different matter in actually getting there. They were faced with several problems of getting out of the alley undetected, especially in how they were going to manage to take Solitaire with them. Unlike Yugi, they couldn't just throw a jacket on her and pass Solitaire off as a young child. Anzu, Honda and Jou knew just what sort of trouble they would run into if everyone were to suddenly see a little dragon running around. If it didn't cause some sort of panic, then they would have people trying to capture Solitaire just for the sake that she was something unique for their world. Since neither was a desirable option, they had had to rack their brains in order to find the quickest and safest way to keep her hidden while they traveled.

Their solution finally came when Yugi again offered his services. By using more of his magic, he was able to cloak her presence from everyone but their group. As long as no one stepped on her, it allowed Solitaire to walk freely among the countless humans, as Yugi and Solitaire now knew the people to be called, as if she were one of them. This proved to be a double-edged sword though because as much as it allowed Solitaire to remain hidden from causing a panic, it also allowed her to pull a few pranks among the humans.

Whenever they came across someone who stared a little too much as Yugi's somewhat odd appearance, some humans found themselves tripping onto the sidewalk or with trash in their pockets. One fellow was even unfortunate enough to find a rotten, half-eaten hot dog shoved down the back of his pants after he had made an insulting comment directed at the little hikari. He still jumping around trying to get the food out and shouting profanity while a confused Yugi, three blushing humans, and a very satisfied Solitaire walked away.

The rest of their trip passed with Yugi staring at the city in awe and asking a dozen questions a moment about what he saw. Many of the things that were in the city that his new friends called 'Domino City' were completely foreign to the little hikari. In the Shadow Realm, there were no such things as cars, cafes, or skyscrapers. There was magic and Monsters for transportation and palaces, caves, and huts that were used for inhabitation.

Of course, he hadn't told any of this to his new friends. They still had no idea of where he had come from and why. The most that they knew about him at present was that he wasn't from their area and that he was capable of doing magic. Any further information was still being put off until they managed to get to their destination for obvious reasons. Regardless of the fact that they had to keep quiet about Yugi until further notice, that didn't stop Yugi from asking them questions about their world.

The many questions that he asked left the three teens asking a few more of their own. For those who were used to seeing such things, it was beyond them how anyone could not understand the same things. Cars were found all over the world, so it really shouldn't be that much of a surprise that there were many zooming down the streets of Domino. So they were all really wondering just what sort of place Yugi had come from.

As they walked on, private theories were already surfacing in each of their minds. Theories that ranged from the outlandish that both Yugi and Solitaire were some sort of weird experiment or possibly being from some unknown magical occult to the more practical that they were the charges of some rich business tycoon. But these were all things that they were keeping to themselves until there was more evidence to support these possibilities. None of them wanted to say something that would earn them another shock treatment from the every wary Solitaire.

So the best they did was to answer Yugi's questions to the best of their abilities and to keep him from wandering too much along their route. Along with his questions, Yugi's attention tended to wander as he looked about the strange sights that were along the way. More than once he had attempted to get a closer look at something only to be grabbed by Jou or Honda before he managed to get too far. They would give him a quick word that it wasn't a good idea to go off alone and then continue along with a somewhat mournful Yugi.

It took them nearly an hour of walking to get from the alley to their destination. As they came closer, Yugi found that the landscape around them was changing. It went from being crowded with people and buildings to having almost nothing of the sort. There were still a few houses dotted along the way of course, but the land itself was what changed the most. From black and gray surfaces that were almost dead to a vibrant green that covered nearly everything.

In the Shadow Realm, there were kinds of few plants that managed to grow in the darkness. Those that did were usually a pale blue or deep, reflective crimson. A few were green, but these were also very pale, almost to the point of being invisible against the shadows. The only exceptions to any of these rules were the plants that grew in Yugi's personal garden in a walled off section of the palace.

Thanks to Yugi himself being born of light, he gave off a certain aura that helped plants to flourish. Thus the plants that he cared for were always of powerful and living shades of green, yellow, crimson, and blue that came in form of flowers and strange ferns native only to the Shadow Realm. Yet that was entirely different from the colors that he was seeing now which did not have to shine against a swirling background of black and deep shades of blue. The colors here were set against a blue sky that blended perfectly with the various hues of green and brown.

The colors gave way to even more when they finally reached their destination. It sat on a higher elevation than everything else that they had passed, which had been on relatively flat terrain. It was almost a hill but at the same time wasn't. Surrounding the entire length of that the building lay on was a large fence of an almost golden hue that reminded Yugi of a pale imitation of the Winged Dragon of Ra. There was a large gate at the center of this fence that when opened, offered entrance to the lands within. At the moment, these were tightly closed and seemed as if they would never be such.

Within the gates, the building stood proud and tall. It was a frosted white that had windows spread across the front side that was facing them. The details of these were hard to make out but it was obvious even from this distance that they were well cared for as they gleamed brightly in the sunlight. To Yugi, that meant that the building, obviously someone's home, was kept under good care and lacked for nothing. Almost like his own far away home in a way.

Thinking of that made Yugi realize that what he was looking at had to be the home that Jonouchi had been speaking of. He really hadn't known what to expect when it came to seeing Jou's home for the first time. Along the way, he had learned that humans lived in many different kinds of houses. Many were in the tall buildings that they had passed back in Domino, where people lived stacked on top of one another. Others were in the more solitary buildings that they had passed more recently along the way.

The solitary ones obviously came in a larger variety of shapes than the tall buildings since they had ranged from very small to huge ones that reminded Yugi of the palace. That was the impression he had from the large building looming ahead of them. There was nothing else that he knew of that would require something to be so grand and cared for so lavishly.

He started to mention this to Jonouchi after he had announced that they were almost to his home when Yugi realized that the human wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, he was now arguing with a very tired and somewhat winded Honda. The latter was complaining that Jou should have called for his 'limo' instead of having them walk so far. Jou on the other hand, was stating that if Honda had wanted to ride, then he should have said something earlier. He also said that it was probably better that they didn't call the limo after all. It would have only scared Yugi and made Solitaire so jumpy that she would fry it.

Now, Yugi wasn't so sure that Jonouchi should assume that he would be scared of this 'limo' thing. He had never seen or heard of anything like that before, so he couldn't make any judgment on the matter and so neither could Jou. But he did want to talk to Jou, so he decided that it would be better to interject while Jonouchi and Honda were taking a moment to catch their breaths to say something.

Tugging on Jou's sleeve, Yugi said," That's your home, right?"

"Huh?" Jou replied, turning his attention down to Yugi," Oh yeah. That's where I live."

"I like it. You have a very unusual palace," Yugi nodded," I've never seen one with this kind of construction."

Blank stares followed Yugi as he gazed away from the human to the building and the grounds around them. Jou, Anzu, and Honda were starting to get used to the fact that Yugi often said some very strange things, as was learned from all the questions that he asked them earlier. But none of them were expecting him to ask something like that. Now they were just back at square one as to what they might expect Yugi to say next.

When he turned to see why his new friends were so silent, Yugi easily caught onto his confusion. For him though, it was the possibility that he had made another social blunder of some sort. He had been trying not to do that despite all the unusual questions that he had been asking. But after seeing their expressions, Yugi had the sneaking suspicion that his efforts had been in vain.

"Did I say something wrong?" Yugi asked glumly.

Catching onto the sadness in his voice, Anzu quickly answered," N-no. Not really. It's just that this isn't a palace, Yugi. It's a big house that we call a mansion. That's something like a palace, but a whole lot smaller."

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry," Yugi nodded, relief flooding through him," It was just so big compared to those other buildings that we saw that it reminded me of home. The only thing that I've seen that's spread over such a wide area is a palace like ours."

"Hold on. You live in a palace?" Honda asked blankly.

"Yes," Yugi replied.

Honda made a strange gagging sound at hearing this while Jonouchi and Anzu just stared in disbelief. Once again they found themselves in two situations. One was the fact that no matter what Yugi said, it was bound to shock all of them out of their minds more than Solitaire's electrified attacks. The other was that they now had more questions to ask about Yugi, such as how he could call a mansion a palace and was he some sort of noble to even mention such a thing.

"Are you royalty or something?" Jou asked suspiciously.

"Of course not. I'm just me," Yugi giggled.

Well, hearing that certainly shot Anzu's theory into the ground. There was no way that Yugi could be lying about something like that when he said it so innocently. In fact, all three were beginning to think that Yugi was incapable of such an act. He might have no trouble withholding information if no one asked about a subject, but anyone could do that. But just by looking into his eyes and by listening to his voice, anyone could sense the innocence in Yugi. The kind that only shone with the kindness and goodness that was found only once in a thousand lifetimes.

So despite the strangeness of the situation, Jou and the others reluctantly accepted Yugi's answer. If they were able to, they would find out if there was more to what Yugi was telling them when the chance came. Until then, they would just have to pace themselves and not let what Yugi said stun them. At least, not to the point where one could develop a natural tic.

"Well, come on. We better get inside," Jou said.

He walked confidently up to the gate and spoke to another human that was sitting in a stone box that was off to one side. The others followed closely after him, though not closely enough for Yugi to catch what Jou was saying to the other human. Whatever it was, he simply nodded and then turned his attention elsewhere. A few seconds later, the gates opened wide, allowing complete access to the property within.

Without a second glance back, all three humans headed through the gates. Yugi and the still invisible Solitaire quickly followed behind them. As he passed through the gates, Yugi took one last glance at the human sitting in the stone box. He was dressed in some sort of solid blue outfit that had a hat with a shiny symbol on its brow. The human caught Yugi's glance as he walked by, gave somewhat of a confused look, but then gave a gentle smile and a wave. Uncertain of what else he should do, Yugi gave a tentative smile and waved back. He then hurried to make sure that he kept up with his friends.

"Who was that human?" Yugi asked.

"Oh, that's Takato. He's the guy in charge of the gate," Jou answered.

"Kind of like a sentry?" Yugi said.

"A what?" Jou replied.

"He means a guard, Jou," Anzu explained as they headed off the main road and off to a side path that led to the front entrance.

"Ah. Yeah, I guess that you could call him that," Jou nodded.

"Wow. He must be really strong if he's the gate sentry and the only one at that. We have to have at least a dozen to guard the entrance at home," Yugi said.

"Uh, I wouldn't exactly call Takato very strong. Plus, he's not the only guard we have here or to watch the gate. We have other people that keep an eye on the grounds and to take turns watching the gate. Takato's just the head of that department," Jou corrected.

"Okay," Yugi shrugged.

Nothing else was said as they reached the front door. The door opened just as they came to it, revealing a lavishly decorated room within. Anzu and the boys walked in without hesitation. Yugi and Solitaire followed after them, the door closing as soon as they had stepped passed. For Solitaire, it was somewhat of a close call for her tail as the human who had opened the door for them almost closed it right on her tail. She gave a silent snarled at the human and shot him a dirty look that was promising retribution for his little mistake.

"Welcome home, Jonouchi-san," the human greeted.

He was black haired, slightly shorter than Honda and wore what Yugi assumed was probably a servant's ensemble. At least, that's what he thought it was since this human had answered the door for them. Just like Takato being a guardian of the gate, this human must be the one who guarded the doorway to Jou's home.

"Hey Kanzaki. Any messages for me?" Jou replied.

"None sir," Kanzaki answered.

"All right. We're gonna go hang out in the den for awhile. Could you make sure that no one bothers us unless it's a major emergency?" Jou said.

"Of course, Jonouchi-san. Is there anything that you would like me to get for you guests beforehand?" Kanzaki nodded.

"Nah, we're good for now. If we want anything, we'll let ya know. Just make sure we're not disturbed or anything," Jou insisted.

"As you wish," Kanzaki said.

With that said, he turned and left the room. Yugi watched him go before Honda grabbed his hand and dragged the hikari after himself and the others. Letting out a squeak of surprise, Yugi allowed himself to be led by the human into another room that was directly opposite of the way that Kanzaki had just departed. When they reached the door, Jou held it open while Anzu and Honda ushered hikari and dragon into the room. Once they were all safely in, Jou followed them and closed the door behind him. As an afterthought, he also locked it to make sure that no one came in by accident.

"Okay, it's safe. You can stop the mojo now," Jou announced.

"Mojo? What's mojo?" Yugi asked.

"You don't have to keep Solitaire invisible anymore. We don't have to worry about someone seeing her while we're in this room," Anzu said quickly.

"Oh, okay," Yugi nodded as he did as he was asked.

A small sense of relief came over Yugi as he released the spell and allowed Solitaire to be visible to all once more. Just as it had been for Solitaire earlier, it had been a long time since Yugi had used his powers for such an extended period of time. He more used to small bursts of levitating things and healing little bruises that one of the servants might have picked up. Things like that only took small amounts of his energy and didn't really require much concentration.

At his side, Solitaire looked up at her master knowingly but said nothing. Unlike their companions, she knew right off what was wrong with Yugi. And with this knowledge, she already knew that it wouldn't take him that long to recover. Which was why she didn't say anything to their new companions. They hadn't known each other very long, but she had the feeling that they were the types to act like Yami and overreact to anything that seemed threatening. Since that was something she wasn't in the mood for at the moment, Solitaire would just keep quiet and watch Yugi on her own. If things did get any worse, then she would say something.

For now though, she just followed alongside Yugi as they were ushered towards the couches at the center of the room. Anzu and Honda sat on one couch while Jou directed Yugi to sit on a chair next to it. Then he took a seat on the couch next to that. Solitaire, without bothering to ask, just jumped up onto the arm of the chair where Yugi was sitting. There she sat back on her haunches and made herself comfortable.

"Hey, no claws on the furniture, dragon," Jou snapped.

"Oh quit your whining. I won't mess up your stupid chair," Solitaire snorted.

As she spoke, she instantly retracted and sheathed all of her claws. Now all that remained in sight were the webbed paws and their finger-like toes. A smug look crossed her face as she watched Jou just stare at her dumbfounded while Anzu and Yugi both looked exasperated at the whole situation with Honda sighing in frustration.

"Final score: Dragon 2 and Jou 0," Honda muttered.

"Not funny," Jou growled.

Quickly changing the subject before another fight broke out, Yugi quickly asked," Is there a special way that people introduce themselves here? I mean, if we're going to talk about things, we might as well do it properly."

"Introductions, right. Well, it all depends on where you're from, but most people just get by saying hello and their name," Anzu explained.

She was glad to see that even if he was a little strange in some ways that Yugi was a good tactician in some respects. Anzu herself had been wondering if they were going to have to deal with Solitaire attacking Jou for a second time that day. It surprised her that they hadn't already had to deal with such a thing given the volatile chemistry that teenager and dragon seemed to display around one another. Anzu was honestly starting to wonder if the two would ever get along without someone having to break them up.

"Okay then," he said," Hello. My name is Yugi and this is Solitaire."

"I'm Mazaki Anzu and this is Honda Hiroto and Jonouchi Katsuya, though we call him Jou for short," Anzu replied as she tried to suppress a giggle.

She just couldn't help herself though. Yugi was just so cute when he acted like that. He was almost like a little child when he talked like that and then followed her explanation to the letter. It was reminded her so much of the little cousin that she used to babysit in the summer when she was younger. For a brief second, she was almost tempted to cuddle the boy like she had her cousin. But she refrained from doing so since it would probably be too embarrassing for Yugi to be hugged by someone he barely knew like that and also because Solitaire would zap her in a heartbeat.

"Wow, that's a mouthful. How do you keep from getting your tongues tied from saying so much as at?" Solitaire asked, completely breaking the spell.

"Solitaire," Yugi scolded," Don't be rude. It's not right to make fun of other people's names."

"Who's making fun? I'm just asking a question," Solitaire shrugged.

Yugi sighed. Trust Solitaire to sound insolent when she was just making a comment or stating a fact. It was something that she could do quite well without even realizing it. Something that, deep down, Yugi could tell was bound to get into more than one argument with their new friends. He just hoped that it wouldn't be too difficult to deal with when the time came.

"It's okay, Yugi. I think I know what Solitaire's getting at. I mean, the two of you only told us your first names. You have told us your full names and those might be shorter than ours," Anzu replied.

"But we did give you our full names," Yugi insisted.

"Yeah. He's just Yugi and I'm just Solitaire, Mazaki Anzu," Solitaire agreed.

"You don't have to use my full name, Yugi. You can just drop my family name and call me Anzu," the girl explained.

"Family name? What's that?" Solitaire asked.

"Um…," Anzu began," A family name tells you where a person comes from and what relations you might have."

"Kind of like telling you what clan you're from?" Yugi asked.

"I guess you could call it that," Anzu said.

"Oh, well we don't do that because no one has a last name back home. They just have their own name and that's it. It's all you need to tell what clan they're from too," the hikari shrugged.

This statement gave the opening that the three friends had been waiting for. As curious as they were, they didn't want to press Yugi into telling them anything that he didn't want to. They could understand what with his gifts and having a companion like Solitaire that he might want to keep certain information from them. So they had each silently decided not to press him too much until he either spoke of it on his own or gave them an opening like he just had with his statement.

"Exactly where is your home, Yugi?" Honda asked.

"Yeah. Where'd ya come from?" Jou agreed.

"The Shadow Realm," Yugi replied instantly.

As he had done earlier, Yugi let the words slip out of his mouth before he really took a chance to consider his possible answer. He was more than capable of keeping information to himself. The fact that he had managed to keep Yami, the person who knew him the best, from finding out his biggest plan was testament to that. But the more comfortable he became around someone, the easier it was for him to speak with that person. That was the case with these three.

They barely knew him and vice versa, but their actions from earlier had proven that they meant no harm. Excluding the initial episode where he had first met the one called Jonouchi of course. But that had only been a misunderstanding, so Yugi was more than willing to forgive and forgot the entire thing. He even ignored the fact that Jonouchi hadn't really apologized for trying to hit him. All that mattered to him now were the steps that Jou and the others were taking to prove themselves instead of relying on the first impression alone.

Still, Yugi also knew that now that he had something he couldn't just try and push away from the subject. He had agreed to give his new friends the answers that they were seeking, even though he had never actually said to what extent he would tell them. So it would be wrong both morally and ethically to Yugi for him to go back on that promise now. Which meant that he would just have to hope that the answers he gave wouldn't be either too damaging or frightening.

"What's the…Shadow Realm?" Jou asked.

Deep inside of him, part of Jou wasn't really sure that he wanted to hear the answer to that. Just the name of the place was enough to give him the creeps and probably his friends too. But another part of him was truly curious as to just what the Shadow Realm was and what sort of connection it had to the Yugi and Solitaire. After all, maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought it sounded, especially if it produced an innocent and caring child like Yugi.

"The Shadow Realm is another world that runs alongside this one, though I'm not sure of its exact location," Yugi explained slowly.

For what could have been the umpteenth time that day, the three teens known as Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu were thrown completely for a loop. For one thing, any theories that they might have had about Yugi and Solitaire's origins were completely shot down. Next was the fact that they were now learning that in addition to having magical abilities, Yugi and Solitaire were in fact aliens from another world. And not from outer space as the cliched method might suggest if one were to look to the stories of UFOs and recent scientific findings that suggested that there might be life on other planets. No, they were learning that the pair was in fact from an entirely different dimension.

They just sat there for the longest time in silence, staring at Yugi in utter disbelief. None of them were really sure what they could say in response to his confession. After all, it isn't every day that one encounters actual beings from another dimension and friendly ones at that. So it was a little hard to find just the right thing to say without sounding like complete idiots.

"You're from another world? Like another dimension?" Anzu said finally.

"More or less," Yugi shrugged.

His answer might have been calm, but inside, Yugi was breathing a sigh of relief. For a moment, he feared that he might have said too much and frightened his new friends. After all, the scrolls that he had read, though ancient by human standards, had explained that the people of Earth weren't used to encountering people from other world. They believed that the only place where life could be found was somewhere on their own world. Which was a reason why whoever had written the scroll mentioned that humans were small-minded and tended to run at the first sign of anything that classified as too unknown for them.

Thankfully, these three were proving to be at least somewhat receptive to what Yugi had to say. They were asking him for confirmation of his explanation after all. It wasn't much but at least it was a start and something that Yugi could work with. So he would take this as slow as necessary to make things easier for the humans.

"That explains everything!" Anzu smiled triumphantly.

Without meaning to, everyone jumped at her explanation. Naturally, after how quiet things had been for the last few moments, no one had been expecting her to just shout like that. So that they could do was look at her in confusion and wondering what in the world she was talking about while trying to get their racing hearts to slow down.

"Explains what?" asked Honda.

"That explains Yugi's magical powers, why he doesn't know anything about how things work here on Earth, and how a dragon like Solitaire can exist. If they're from another world, then it's not so strange for them to do things that we can't or that they don't understand our culture. The people of Yugi and Solitaire's world must've evolved differently to survive and that means an entirely different culture that we can't even imagine," Anzu explained.

"Yeah, I guess it does," Honda agreed.

"Who woulda thunk?" Jou replied.

They spoke so calmly about the situation that for a moment, Yugi was left feeling completely confused. First the three humans had been totally floored by the fact that he and Solitaire were from another dimension. Now they were acting like it was the most natural thing in the world to hear. Was this some weird traits humans had when it came to accepting something or just a way of falling into denial so that their minds could comprehend things?

"Um, so you don't think it's strange that we're not form your world? You're not scared of us or anything?" Yugi asked uncertainly.

"No way, Yugi. That just makes ya really cool," Jou said.

"Why does it make us cold?" Solitaire asked.

"Not cold, cool. Here has more than just meaning cold, Solitaire," Anzu replied," It can also mean when we're saying something is good."

"Oh," Solitaire said.

"But you like it that we're from another world?" Yugi asked.

"You got it, Yugi. I mean, it's a real surprise for us, but that's no big deal once you think about things. For a boring place like Earth, that makes you two really unique. We've never had anything like this happen before," Anzu stated.

"Ah," Yugi said.

"Okay. So you're magical and from another dimension. How did you guys get here?" Honda replied.

"Solitaire brought us. She can travel between worlds," Yugi answered.

The others looked at Solitaire skeptically, especially Jou. The most his opinion of her was that of an oversized battery charger with an attitude. As of yet, all he had seen her do was try to turn him into a walking light bulb and smart off at just about everyone but Yugi. So there was no way in his opinion that Solitaire was able to so something as incredible as jump from one dimension to the next.

"That oversized lizard can jump from place to place? You've gotta be kiddin' me," Jou scoffed.

"You wanna repeat that, human?" Solitaire growled, sparks starting to flare along her spine.

Anzu sighed," Do we have to remind you again not the antagonize Solitaire, Jonouchi Katsuya? Yugi can't keep healing you every time she zaps you and I don't think you want to explain to Kaiba why there's burn marks all over his furniture."

Jou glared at her for that comment but kept any retort that he might have had to himself. He knew that Anzu had a valid point. If Solitaire did hurt him again because he was insulting her, it wouldn't be fair to ask Yugi to heal him again. Jou didn't know anything about magic, but he guessed that it took a lot of energy for him to heal someone else. Plus, he really did NOT want to explain to his lover why there were electric scorch marks all over their new furniture. Kaiba was beyond scary when it came to explaining why he had to pay for damages that Jou had caused, even inadvertently.

"Fine, sorry," Jou grumbled.

Giving him one last warning glance, Anzu asked, "So if you're from this Shadow Realm, how come you can understand Japanese? Is that the same language you speak there too?"

"No it isn't. We have our own language," Yugi replied.

"Then how can we understand you?" Honda pressed.

"Oh that's because anyone who is born in the Shadow Realm has some part of its power, no matter how small. This power allows us to communicate more easily with people that we encounter from other worlds," Yugi explained.

Jaws dropped at this explanation. For them, the closest thing to being able to understand another language like that was something out of a science fiction movie. Somehow, even if it was through magic, something like that just seemed impossible. Though after everything that they had already learned and heard, that wasn't really saying much. In fact, it was probably the tamest bit of information that any of them had heard that day since meeting Yugi and Solitaire.

"Cool. So you guys have a built-in instant translation spell," Honda said.

"I guess you could call it that," Yugi nodded.

What Yugi didn't tell him was that it wasn't an exact description of what the Shadow Realm's magic allowed its inhabitants to do. There was more to it than just allowing one language to be translated into another. But it was something that Yugi decided against explaining to his new friends. He had the feeling that it was better to let them go along with Honda's explanation instead of giving them the full technical lecture.

That was probably how it was going to be with many things that he knew of that existed outside of the human world. Things that seemed perfectly normal were either beyond their grasp or they just hadn't come up with the concept yet. Something that he was just going to get used to himself and work around while he was with these humans. Not too much to do if he handled the situation carefully enough.

"Um, Yugi? Would you and Solitaire mind excusing us for a moment? There's something that Jou, Honda and I need to talk about," Anzu said suddenly.

This startled everyone in the room. Like earlier, no one had been expecting Anzu to say something like that out of the blue. For Yugi and Solitaire, it was because Anzu had completely changed the subject on them. For Jou and Honda, it was the confusion of both the sudden change of subject and figuring out just what Anzu might want to talk about.

"O…kay. If you need to talk about something privately, all you have to do is say so," Yugi nodded.

"Thanks. That window over there has a pretty good view if you guys want to get a better look at the grounds," Anzu said.

Shrugging once, Yugi got up from his seat and headed for the window. Solitaire shot Anzu a skeptical look but followed Yugi without question. As soon she felt that they were out of earshot, Anzu gestured for Jou and Honda to move in closer. The last thing that she wanted was for their guests to hear what she had to say and take it the wrong way.

"All right, Anzu, what's this about?" Jou demanded.

"Not so loud. They'll hear you," Anzu hissed.

"Hear what?" Honda snapped.

"What I think we should do about this," Anzu stated.

"Huh? What do ya mean?" Jou asked in confusion.

"I mean how we're going to keep Yugi and Solitaire out of trouble. We can't let them leave here on their own. We have to keep an eye on them until they go home. It's not safe if we let them wander around like they were earlier," Anzu explained.

"Wait a minute. You're saying that we're the ones who're supposed to take care of Yugi and Solitaire?" Jou said.

"Duh. Isn't that what I just said?" Anzu snorted.

"You can't be expecting us to babysit this kid and his electric dragon 24/7. That's not gonna be possible even if I did agree to it," Honda protested.

"Well we can't just let Yugi and Solitaire wander around on his own either. There's no telling what kind of trouble he'll get into, especially with how Solitaire acts every time someone threatens him. They'll be caught in no time," Anzu hissed.

"How about worrying about the kind of trouble you're going to get into if you don't stop talking about us like we're not in the room," Solitaire snapped from behind them.

The group turned to what was steadily becoming a familiar sight. Sparks crackling across her back, Solitaire sat while watching the group through half-slitted eyes. A dark look on her face showed that she was once again contemplating just what sort of punishment to give the humans for their ignorance. Only this time, it wasn't going to be something quick and simple like shocking them with her Glint Strike. This time, it would be a slow and painful reminder that they needed to watch just what they said.

"Um, did you guys hear that?" Anzu asked nervously.

Flicking her ears forward, Solitaire snorted," What do you think, human? I'm not deaf you know."

"And I'm not stupid," Yugi added.

The three humans looked at the two guiltily. None of them had meant to hurt their friends' feelings like that. They had only been trying to think of the best way to handle taking care of Yugi and Solitaire without them getting into trouble. Now though, they were the ones who were about to get into trouble. Which meant that they had just created more of a problem instead of finding a solution for one.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I didn't mean it the way that it sounded," Anzu said.

"Yeah, us neither," Honda agreed.

"We're just worried about you two. I mean, you really don't know anything about how we do things on Earth and there's so much that could happen to you if you're not careful. I just don't want you to get hurt," Anzu explained.

Yugi sighed. He knew full well what Anzu had meant when she said that they needed to keep an eye on him and Solitaire. In her own way, he also knew that the girl meant well. She only wanted to protect them from getting into any real trouble. There was nothing wrong with that. It was just that the attitude was so similar to how Yami had acted that it was more than enough to offend Yugi just a bit.

He was truly getting tired of everyone underestimating just how much he was capable of. Just by looking at him and watching his attitude, people always assumed that he was weak and helpless. Yugi couldn't help but wonder if it was really so much to ask that people at least give him a chance to prove himself before leaping to any conclusions. Really, that was all he wanted and it was something that he was going to make clear now before things got any further.

"I can understand your concern and I know I have very little knowledge of your world, but that doesn't mean that I need to be watched over all the time. I'm more than willing to learn if someone will teach me. It's one of the reasons why I'm here," Yugi said.

Turning away from the humans, Yugi made his way back over to window. Gazing out of it, he could see the grounds spreading out around the mansion. It was a pure green expanse that was dotted with a few bushes and a pathway with a bench off to one side. A very quaint picture even for a visitor like Yugi, who was jolted out of his reverie when a hand came down on his shoulder.

Looking behind him, Yugi could see that it was Anzu. Behind her stood Jou and Honda. They, after a gentle nod from Solitaire, had decided to come to Yugi's comfort. Even if he said that he understood what they had been talking about, Anzu and the boys knew better. It was easy for them to tell that they had hurt Yugi's feelings and that if they wanted to make things right again, then they were going to have to work at it. Starting with finding out what Yugi meant when he had said 'it was one of the reasons' why he had come to their world.

"Exactly what made you come to Earth, Yugi?" Anzu questioned.

"I left home because I want to prove to Yami that I'm not just someone to take care of. I want my darkness to understand that I can help him just as he helps me. I need him to realize that we're equals, nothing less," Yugi said quietly.

" 'My darkness'. Is that some pet name for this yami guy?" Honda asked.

Yugi's eyes hardened slightly at that and turned his face away so that Honda wouldn't see the hurt on his face. He knew that the human meant no harm with his questions. Honda barely knew anything about him, so it was only natural that he would be curious about the sort of relationship Yugi had with his lover. That didn't stop the hurt from the subject from hurting though and it took all that he had for Yugi not to show too much of what he was feeling.

His expression didn't go unnoticed though. Being a little more perceptive than the boys, Solitaire and Anzu watched Yugi with saddened eyes. Their expressions hardened though when they turned them back on a somewhat confused Honda. Solitaire bared her teeth in silent warning and Anzu jabbed him in the side, hissing at him to keep quiet unless he wanted trouble. Though he didn't understand what had set the females off, Honda took the message quick enough. After all, he wasn't stupid enough to tangle with two females when they were on the rampage.

"It isn't a pet name for Yami, Honda. It's part of what he is, just like his name for me is part of who I am," Yugi said quietly, surprising them all.

"Part of who you are?" Jou echoed.

"I'm not just some random traveler from another world, Jonouchi. I'm more than that," Yugi explained," I am a hikari, born of the light itself and made with a soul that is incomplete as a result. My lover is a yami, born from the darkness and his soul too was made incomplete. We are two halves of the same whole. He and I have been connected to one another since the moment we were created and will remain so for the rest of eternity. We are each other's balance and anchor for our powers."

As he spoke, his words had such conviction behind them that the humans had no choice to believe what he was saying. Under normal circumstances, if they had heard something claiming that they were only half a soul and theirs was made of light, then they would have assumed that that person was insane or close to it. But after seeing what he was capable of and knowing that he was from another dimension, what Yugi said wasn't as strange as one might have expected.

There was no doubt that they were all in shock at learning such a thing about what appeared to be a young human boy. Such a thing was a given. Another given was that their limit for learning startling and almost supernatural facts about said boy should have been reached long before this point. If anything, the three should have been fit for the insane asylum at that point or close to it. But just being around someone who had spoken so truthfully and had the aura that Yugi did prevented such things. In his presence, they had no choice but to believe that what he said was the truth.

"Wait a minute. How can a kid like you have a lover? I mean, you can't be more than 10 years old. Is this Yami character some kind of perv?" Jou protested.

Though Yugi had no idea what a 'perv' might be, he didn't like the tone that Jou had just taken about his relationship with Yami. Perhaps it was because the humans were deceived by what was a youthful appearance to them that he made that assumption, but it didn't excuse everything in Yugi's eyes. He would not have anyone insulting his lover, even when he didn't understand just what the insult is.

"I don't know what a perv is, Jou, but I know that Yami isn't one of them," Yugi said coolly," Nor am I a child. I am more than old enough to be with a lover and will ask you to respect that."

"And if he doesn't, I get to zap him," Solitaire quipped.

It was the first time that any of them had ever seen Yugi act so cold, so it was a bit of a surprise for the humans. Especially for Jou, who had begun to think of Yugi as another kid he would protect like he did with Mokuba, only a bit more naïve. Obviously, that wasn't going to be the case and something that he better remember if he didn't want to get fried by a dragon with Yugi's silent approval.

"Eh, sorry about that, Yugi. I didn't mean anything. Just kinda wrong for people to do anything like that with kids on Earth that lovers do. Ya know what I mean?" Jou said sheepishly.

"I understand, Jonouchi. Just please don't imply that anymore. What Yami and I share is special, even when they're not going smoothly," Yugi replied.

Jou started to ask what Yugi meant by that, but yet another warning glance from both Anzu and Solitaire silenced him. Again, their female senses were picking on things that Jou obviously wasn't and neither one of them wanted him to make things worse by opening his mouth. So they let him know in advance to keep his mouth shut unless he wanted to be dealing with two irate females instead of just an annoyed Solitaire.

"If you're not a kid, then how old are you, Yugi?" Honda asked.

"I don't have an age in the way that you would measure it," Yugi said.

"What do you mean?" asked Anzu.

"After seeing how you react to me, I know that I must appear very young in the ways of humans because of my size and appearance. But that's not the case. I am probably older than all of you put together and the same applies to Yami. We were both born when eternity was created and will continue to exist until its end. Yami and I are both ageless," Yugi stated.

As he spoke, his eyes suddenly shone with a wisdom that far exceeded anything that the three teens had ever seen before. The kind that only came from one having both great age and experience after living more than just the span of a single lifetime. Something that none of the three teens had ever imagined that they would ever encounter neither in their lifetimes nor in anyone else's.

"Damn. That means you're an immortal," Honda breathed.

"Immortal? What is that?" Yugi asked.

"Something that doesn't ever die. It exists forever, just like you said that you would," Anzu answered.

"No, I am not an immortal. I simply am and that is all there is to it. My life exists because that is what the fates desired and that is how it shall always be," Yugi corrected," Isn't that how it is for humans?"

The humans looked a little uncertain at this question. It wasn't the first time that they had been so today, but there was something about how they were looking at one another that told Yugi that he had just broached a very uncomfortable subject. At first, he was a little curious as to just what that subject might be. But then he realized that just like he didn't want anyone to talk badly about Yami, this must be one of those things that humans didn't want to talk about much. Which meant that if he didn't want to make the same blunders that his friends had already made, it was best to let things drop for now.

"Um, never mind. Just forget that I asked," Yugi said quickly.

Seeming almost relieved, Anzu replied," So you're here because you want to prove something to Yami?"

"Yes," Yugi nodded.

"Well ya can count on us, Yuge. We'll help ya show this Yami guy that you're the toughest little dude on the block," Jou promised.

He wrapped an arm around Yugi as he spoke and gave the smaller a gentle noogie. A little surprised and unused to this sort of action, Yugi struggled to get away at first. But when he realized that it was only playful in nature, he settled down some. Not enough where Jou was able to keep a full grip on him but enough where it didn't put too much stress on either his neck or Jou's restricting arm.

"You'll really help me?" Yugi asked.

"You bet, bud. We're pals now and that means we stick together," Jou nodded.

"He's right, Yugi. Some humans might be creeps, but most of us stick by their friends when they need it the most," Anzu agreed.

"Well, well. I think there might be hope for you after all, Jonouchi Katsuya," Solitaire smirked as she looked up at Jou.

"Huh? What are you getting at now?" Jou sighed.

"Simple. If you're willing to help Yugi show Yami-sama how foolish he's acting, then you can't be such an idiot after all. It means that you have something up there besides hot air," Solitaire replied.

"Gee, thanks. I think," Jou said.

Somehow, he wasn't sure if he should take Solitaire's words as a compliment or as an insult. As he was beginning to see, the dragon wasn't the easiest person to get along with. If she wasn't insulting someone, then she was playing some sort of prank. It actually made him wonder how Yugi could put up with someone so obnoxious. Then again, he had someone in his life like that along those lines, minus the prankster side. Maybe with that in mind he might be able to answer the questions of what was bound to be a rocky relationship with Solitaire and an unusual one with Yugi.

A/N: Yow. Almost 20 pages this time around. I think that I might have worn out some of my fingers trying to get this thing completed. But as long as it's done and everyone enjoyed it, then I'm happy. I am sorry to say that this is the last update that I'm going to be able to manage for until late November at the least. I'm a college student and for my major, my teacher is having us write a bunch of papers this semester. So between that, juggling work, my home life, a boyfriend, and two insane cats, it's getting harder for me to write. But I do promise that I will have another chapter for this story and one for Ignorance is Never Bliss out before Christmas. That I can guarantee. Until then, thanks for reading and ja ne.


	8. New Roommates

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 7: New Roommates

A/N: Well, here's the first part of the update duo that I promised. The update for Ignorance will be out in a few weeks after I've edited it some more and gotten the events straightened out to the point where they collate with previous chapters. Some other news is that at the rate I'm going, I might also have another update for this story by that time too. It all depends on how it goes this holiday while dealing with those relatives who always give you fruitcake, finding another job, trying to keep from skinning the cats, and all those other little pains that come with Christmas.

After making their promise to Yugi to help him in their quest, the three teens began to realize something. By agreeing to help the hikari in his quest they had just opened themselves up to several new problems. The first of which was finding a place for Yugi and Solitaire to stay while they were on Earth. Everyone already knew that it was impossible to just let the pair find shelter on their own. Knowing nothing truly factual about Earth beyond what the three humans had already told them, the two would not be able to survive very well on their own.

Among themselves, they already knew that the only real places that Yugi and Solitaire might be able to stay was with one of them. The trick was deciding just who that someone was going to be. As much as they all wanted to help, each already knew that there were problems if the pair were to stay with one of them. For Anzu and Honda alike, it was the fact that their parents wouldn't just take in what appeared to be a child off the streets without question. They would want to be knowing where he had come from and where his parents were so that they would be able to send him home again.

Jou was easier off since he no longer lived with his father while his mother and younger sister both lived in a faraway city. Plus there was the fact that there was so much more room in his home than in either Anzu and Honda's homes put together. So ideally, he would have been the perfect choice to take Yugi and Solitaire in for the duration of their visit. The one problem with that choice was one of the other people who also occupied the mansion.

One of these people, the younger, wouldn't be too much of a problem. He was a bit of a brat at time, but for the most part, he was really easy for anyone to get along with. And for an 11-year old, the boy known as Kaiba Mokuba was pretty smart as well, so if they had to explain things to him, then it wouldn't be much of a problem. Which meant that when he and Yugi eventually met, then there wouldn't be much of a problem between the pair.

No, the real problem was with the other housemate, Mokuba's older brother and actual owner of the mansion that the three shared, Kaiba Seto. He was a person who was used to being in control of what went on around him and knowing exactly what was happening. Something that wouldn't happen if Jou just invited Yugi and Solitaire to stay with them out of the blue. No, he would not be very happy about something like that happening.

Then again, being unhappy with having two unexpected guests would be the mild way of putting it. The best way to put it was that Kaiba would be downright furious that he had strangers in his house without Jou asking him first. And when he was angry about anything, Kaiba Seto was not a man to be crossed by anyone. It was that fact that kept Jou's own thoughts in check for the moment as he and the others all considered about the same thing.

In any case, they were going to have to think of something fast. It was going to be getting dark in a few hours and that meant that Anzu and Honda were going to have to be heading home. If they weren't able to think of anything by then, the humans and their friends were pretty much sunk. So it was time to get down to business as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately for them, Yugi wasn't exactly thinking along the same lines as them. For it, the matter of finding somewhere to stay was secondary to actually finding new friends that were willing to help him. He wasn't used to finding such a thing when it wasn't ordered or he wasn't with his fellow Hikaris. It was a new experience for Yugi to have friends who wanted to be with him for who he was, instead of what he was.

"So what are we gonna do now? Will you show me more of Earth?" Yugi asked.

"Whoa, hold it there, Yugi. We're not goin' anywhere just yet. We got a lot to talk about first," Honda warned.

"Huh?" Yugi replied, sounding a little disappointed," What do you mean we have a lot to talk about? Are there more Earth rules that we need to know about?"

"It's not that, Yugi. We just really need to find some place for you guys to stay while you're here," Anzu said," It's still sorta warm out this time of year, but it gets really cold at night and there's a lot of weirdoes out there to worry about."

"What's a weirdo supposed to be? Some kind of animal?" Solitaire replied.

"Not exactly," Honda said.

"Then what are they?" Yugi prompted.

The three humans looked at one another uncertainly. They knew that they had promised Yugi that they would help him learn more about Earth, but there were just some things that they felt he really didn't need to know about their world. Things that they felt were better left unsaid because of the ugliness that they could reveal about the human race. So if they were going to get through this, they were just going to have find ways to either word answers carefully or just steer away from the subject altogether. In this case though, they would just have to go with the former and hope that Yugi and Solitaire bought it.

"Weirdoes aren't animals, guys. They're just people who…aren't very nice and sometimes cause trouble for others," Anzu said slowly," So we stay away from them if we can help it."

"Oh. Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Makes more sense than staring at each other like someone's gonna bite you," Solitaire snorted.

"Uh, yeah sure. Whatever you say, Solitaire," Anzu sighed.

Solitaire just shrugged. Personally, she didn't see what had been the big deal. All she had done was ask a question. There was nothing wrong with that. After all, it wasn't like she was asking for some supreme secret that would utterly change the world. All she learned was that humans were very strange when it came to answering the simplest questions.

"So why are you so worried about finding us a place to stay? I already knew that we had to do that," Yugi said.

"You did?" Anzu replied.

"Yes. That's why I wanted to go out and see what else there was around here. Then I would be able to find a place for us to stay more easily," Yugi nodded.

All of his friends but Solitaire just looked at him in surprise. None of them had known how well Yugi had planned when it came to existing in their world. After how their initial encounter had gone, it didn't really seem like he was looking that far ahead. They were assuming that he was taking things as they went and making his plans around that. Now they were seeing that he had indeed been thinking ahead more than they had thought.

"If you already thought about that, then how are ya gonna pay for stuff, Yugi? I mean, you know that stuff around here isn't for free," Honda said.

"Oh, we planned for that way before we left home, Honda. I already knew that it would cost us something to get things in your world. I thought that maybe we could trade some things for shelter and food if we had to. I mean, after I studied the scrolls, I brought things that I thought might be valuable to humans," Yugi explained as he started to dig through this satchel.

The others watched with interest as he began to pile the satchel's contents onto the table that was next to the window that Yugi had been looking out earlier. Their expressions changed immediately when they saw just what Yugi had been carrying around in his satchel. What he pulled out were necklaces and bracelets that were made of the purest gold. Each one was lined with precious stones that were of sizes that none of the teens had ever imagined that they could reach.

When he finished unloading his satchel, Yugi looked up to meet the expressions of his friends. Upon seeing the surprise on their faces, he was left a little confused as to just what was wrong now. All he had done was to take things out of his satchel and place them on the table. There was certainly nothing strange about that. So why were they staring at him like he had just grown as many heads as an Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon?

"Is something the matter?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah," agreed Solitaire," You all look like your eyes are about to pop out or something."

"Y-your stu-uff," Honda sputtered.

"Oh?" Yugi asked, glancing between the table contents and his friends," What about them?"

"Yugi, you never have to trade this stuff," Anzu said.

"Really? Then what can I do with it?" Yugi replied.

"You could just sell these things and not have to worry about a thing. These are worth more than just a few yen. There's enough gold jewels here for you to live in the lap of luxury for at least four lifetimes," Anzu stated.

As much as he wanted to, Yugi really wasn't sure just what Anzu was talking about. The concepts of luxury and lifetimes meant nothing to the little hikari. To him, what people might consider luxury was the everyday lifestyle that he had had almost since the beginning of his creation. And a lifetime did not matter to him simply because for Yugi, time didn't go on as it did for others. For him, it would always stand still and forever keep him as he was.

Yugi was curious as to just what 'yen' was though. He had never heard the term before and assumed that it was something of value to the humans if Anzu claimed his trinkets were worth more than a few. It might have been the system that humans used to get their goods and other necessities. That wasn't certain though, along with many of the other things that Yugi knew had to be of Earth origin.

"What's yen, Anzu?" Yugi asked.

"That's the kind of currency that we use here in Japan. It's not the same all over the world though, because every country has their own kind of money to use," Anzu explained.

"Oh. We really don't have a system like that in the Shadow Realm. If we want anything, we either just trade for them or make it ourselves," Yugi replied.

"We had a system like that a long time ago. It was called the bartering system," Anzu nodded.

"Bartering? What a strange name," Yugi commented," We just trade things and leave it at that. It never made much sense to call it anything else."

"Guess that's just another difference between our worlds," Anzu suggested.

"I guess it is," Yugi agreed.

While they talked, Jou and Honda continued to look down at the pile of jewelry that lay on the table. They could understand Yugi's reasoning for using these things to trade with. After all, just one piece with a few gemstones on it would be worth enough to buy him an entire city block in Domino. There was no doubt that Yugi and Solitaire would be able to provide well for themselves as long as no one turned their ignorance of Earth values against them.

Still, somehow it just didn't seem right that Yugi would just throw these things away so calmly. Shouldn't someone who was immortal and older than any of them have had more common sense than that? Obviously, Yugi's knowledge extended only to the mysteries of the universe. Something that did not include the use of any kind of wealth and when it was best to use it. And somehow, Honda at least, just couldn't let that slide by without saying something.

"Are you sure that you wanted to just trade these things, Yugi? I mean, they have to be important to you if you have so many," Honda protested.

"Oh no, they're not really that important, Honda. I picked them out of my collection because I never really liked them and thought that they would be put to better use for trading," Yugi shrugged.

As was becoming common among them, jaws again dropped at this statement. None of them were truly certain of what they were hearing when it came to Yugi's confession. It was just impossible to imagine that anyone would trade such wealth away just because it wasn't very well liked by the owner. That just seemed so foolish to the humans who just weren't used to anything so frivolous. Add to the fact that Yugi had a collection of these things and they were all just totally floored by the information.

"You have a collection of this stuff!" Jou yelped.

"Yes," Yugi nodded," But the ones at home are a lot prettier than these."

"You chose this stuff because it wasn't pretty enough?" Honda questioned.

"Uh-huh," Yugi said.

Honda slapped a hand to his forehead while the other two seemed to be restraining themselves from doing the same. With each new statement that he said, Yugi was making himself seem more and more strange to the humans. Not the supernatural part of his being a hikari, but just the fact that the simplest things that he said always seemed to be flooring them every few moments. It just didn't seem possible that one person was able to do that so much in one afternoon.

The matter of the jewelry did open up another avenue of thought for Jou though. Knowing that Yugi had so much on him, he could see it as being a double-edged sword. It was true that Yugi would be able to support himself and his dragon without trouble, but it would also leave them open to the greedier souls of the human race. Jou knew right off that there were people who would trick and hurt the little one without hesitation if it meant that they could get something for themselves.

Having seen the results of such things for himself, Jou knew what he had to do. It would more than likely land him in hot water for awhile, but it was better than allowing harm to come to Yugi. Even if they had only known one another for a short time, Jou knew that Yugi was his friend. As such, Jou knew that it was his duty to make sure that his friend was safe and could learn how to navigate the human world without trouble.

Gathering up all the jewelry in both hands and putting it all back in Yugi's satchel, Jou ordered," Just put this stuff up and forget about it until ya go home, Yug. You're not gonna need it. I've got ya covered."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"Simple, you and electricity brains there are gonna stay with me, free of charge. We got plenty of room here," Jou said.

Inwardly, Jou dealt with two things. He knew that this was the right thing to do for all of them. Anzu and Honda just didn't have the room to allow hikari and dragon to stay without someone asking too many questions. Plus, they didn't have the same resources that Jou had access to. He would be able to get their new friends food, clothes, and shelter without any trouble while the other two teens would be hard pressed to do so with their allowances.

That didn't keep the offer from stunning all of his friends. None of them had been expecting that Jou would ever do such a thing. For Anzu and Honda, knowing just who he would have to deal with after making the impromptu invitation, it was surprising that he would take such a risk. Yugi and Solitaire though, were just surprised that Jou would offer to help them even more than he had already agreed to.

"You would really let us stay here? Just like that?" Yugi breathed.

"Course I would, Yug. I said that we were gonna help ya while ya were here and I meant it," Jou nodded.

He ruffled Yugi's hair playfully to emphasize the point. Yugi blushed and pulled away. Like before, he understood that the gesture was meant to be friendly. It was just a little hard for him to get used to on what was becoming a constant basis. Back in the Shadow Realm, the only ones who readily touched him for any length of time were Yami and Solitaire. And they had the reason for being two of the people who were closest to him.

Here though, everyone seemed to be touching him in some way. Jou did it when he was either trying to comfort the hikari in his own way or was being playful. Anzu seemed to do it when she felt protective of him or turned him in the right direction when they were traveling. Honda was the same way when it came to keeping him out of trouble and that was about it. All were gestures that steered towards friendship and were probably things that he might have to get used to while on Earth since humans seemed to be a race in need of touch to communicate with one another.

To a degree, Yugi wasn't the only one who felt some uneasiness right now. Anzu and Honda were feeling that way for different reasons though. They still weren't too sure about Jou's decision. There was just too much that could go wrong when Kaiba found out and if he decided to oust Yugi and Solitaire because he didn't want them in his home. If that's how things went, which they most likely would in the opinions of Anzu and Honda, then they would just be back at square one.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Jou? I mean, what about Kaiba? You know he isn't gonna like you making this sort of decision without him" Honda said.

"I'll handle him. Don't worry about it," Jou assured them.

"You sure about that, Jou? I mean, I know you guys are tight, but Kaiba's not always charitable even when you're involved," Anzu replied skeptically.

"Ah, you worry too much. If I say that I can handle him, I can handle him," Jou insisted.

Though he seemed confident in this, Anzu and Honda knew better than to completely trust this boast. They both knew all too well how ruthless Kaiba Seto could be when he was upset, even with his lover. It was a trait that made him one of the most feared and respected men in the business world, but what gave him lousy social skills. Something that Jonouchi had been attempting to remedy for several years though without any real success.

Still, they had to admit that it might just be the best shot that they had. There weren't that many options open to them at the moment and they really had to take what they could find at the moment. So they would go with Jou's plan and if that didn't work out, then they would just think of something else. After all, Yugi did have his jewelry and if push came to shove, they could pawn a few of them for enough money so that he, Solitaire, and one of them could stay in a nearby hotel.

These thoughts only passed among the humans though. For Yugi, his mind was yet again on an entirely different subject. What he wanted to know about was the one that they had mentioned earlier. The one that they had called Kaiba and everyone seemed to be nervous about. He didn't understand why that would be so, unless they were doing something that this Kaiba person didn't like. But that made it all the more important to Yugi that he knew who Kaiba was just in case they met anytime soon.

"Who's Kaiba, Jou?" Yugi asked.

"And why do you look terrified at the thought of him?" Solitaire added.

"If you saw how he acts, then you'd be scared of the guy too," Honda snorted.

"Seto's not that bad, Honda. All ya got to do is get to know him," Jou insisted.

"That still doesn't tell us who he is," Solitaire snorted.

"He's my boyfriend," Jou answered.

"Your what?" Yugi asked.

Remembering that it was a term that Yugi was unfamiliar with, Jou explained," Just like you, my lover's a guy. Only difference between moneybags and your guy is that mine don't try and protect me from like I'm some porcelain doll. He lets me take my lumps when he thinks and I deserves'em and never says anything but 'I told ya so' when it's over."

"Sounds like a certain stuck up magician that I know," Solitaire snorted.

"Solitaire, shush," Yugi scolded.

"Um, should I even ask?" Honda said.

"No," Yugi replied bluntly.

"If you say so," Honda shrugged.

Looking back up at Jou, Yugi asked," Why do you call your lover 'moneybags'?"

"You call Yami my darkness, I call Kaiba moneybags," Jou shrugged.

Yugi accepted that. When it came to lovers, each one had their own ways of showing endearment. For hikaris like himself, it might be referring to their yami with my darkness or my dark one. Perhaps even something a little more personal that only that particular pair of yami and hikari might understand. But whatever the reason, it wasn't so strange to him that Jou had a nickname for this Kaiba.

"Well whatever you call him, if he doesn't like us being here, then just send him to me. I'll make him see things our way," Solitaire snorted.

The three humans paled at the thought of that. Not for the fact that Solitaire might cause injury to someone who could prove to be a valuable ally for her Master's quest, no that would have been too obvious. No, the concern that the humans felt was for Solitaire herself and what would happen when Kaiba met her. Knowing his particular interest in dragons, they could only see one possible to a meeting between CEO and dragon and it was not a good one.

"I'm not sure it's such a good idea if we let Kaiba see you just yet, Solitaire. He's kinda funny about things like this," Anzu warned.

Jou looked at the girl darkly while Yugi and Solitaire just looked on in confusion. For Jou, he might have known what his lover was like but that didn't mean that he liked anyone badmouthing him. That included friends like Anzu, who he thought should have known better. For the others though, they had absolutely no idea what Anzu was referring to.

"How is Kaiba like about what things, Anzu?" Yugi asked.

"Seto's just really interested in dragons, Yugi. He might just go a little overboard meeting an actual dragon like Solitaire," Jou said quickly.

"Interested?" Honda echoed," Jou, that guy's more than interested. He's fucking obsessed with anything that has to do with dragons, especially those stupid Blue Eyes White Dragons."

Yugi and Solitaire's attention was peaked by this sudden outburst. Neither one of them had expected the humans to know about creatures from their own world. They had assumed that any creature from the Shadow Realm would have to be revealed by them, not another source. Obviously, these humans were more aware of what was in their world then they thought.

Even so, there was no reason for Honda to speak so disrespectfully of some of the strongest dragons ever to roam the Shadow Realm. Though they might have been arrogant and surly at times, the Blue Eyes White Dragons were creatures of powerful magic and that was something the demanded respect from all others. Especially from those that had no idea what they were risking by insulting such powerful creatures.

"I wouldn't talk about the Blue Eyes like that if I were you, Honda. If they find out, they might come here and burn you alive," Yugi warned, effectively cutting off the argument that was about to start between him and Jou.

"And if they don't, then I will. I don't like it when people talk bad about my family," Solitaire snarled.

Confusion was more than evident on the humans' faces when they heard this. First at Yugi's insistence that what were supposed to be playing cards for a game were actually living creatures and then Solitaire demand that they not insult her relatives. Neither one really made sense as the Blue Eyes White Dragons weren't supposed to exist on anything other than the four trading cards that they had been printed on when Duel Monsters was created.

"Did you just say that the Blue Eyes were real, Yugi?" Honda asked uncertainly.

"And they're your family, Solitaire?" Jou added.

"Yes," hikari and dragon replied in unison.

Jou and Honda honestly didn't know what to do anymore. It was beginning to seem like every time they said something, then either Yugi or Solitaire would say something that would just turn things to an entirely different subject. And this time, it was truly a doozy. Neither one had any idea on how to approach a subject that was supposed to be fictional. Thankfully, they had Anzu to bail them out yet again.

She was just as surprised as her friends, but this time it wasn't to the point of speechlessness. Anzu kept her head long enough to remember that Yugi and Solitaire were from a different world. There were countless possibilities that could happen when dealing with them. This included something as farfetched as hearing about things that were considered to be nothing more than stories and part of games that people played.

"Um, Yugi, how do you know about the Blue Eyes White Dragons? Are they creatures that live in your world?" Anzu asked.

"Of course they are, Anzu. They're some of the most powerful dragons in the Shadow Realm. Everyone respects their power, even Yami," Yugi nodded.

"Okay. Exactly how are they related to you, Solitaire? No offense, but you guys really don't look alike," Anzu continued.

"That's simple. All dragons in the Shadow Realm are related to one another, no matter how distantly. It doesn't matter if we look alike or not. That's because we all have the same common ancestors that spawned us when our world was created. Things have just thinned out over the eons and now most of us just have a distant tie to one another," Solitaire explained.

They spoke so calmly that it finally broke the stunned silence of Jou and Honda. The two still couldn't believe what they were hearing, but it was something that they would deal with eventually. Right now, a few new questions were coming to mind. All of which, strangely enough, were aimed entirely at Solitaire.

"How closely related are you guys? To the Blue Eyes I mean" Jou asked after finding his voice again.

"They're my cousins 97 times removed on my father's side," Solitaire replied.

"Uh, not exactly very close relatives, are they?" Honda muttered.

"Not really. We really don't keep in touch with each other anyhow, so it doesn't really matter," Solitaire shrugged.

"That's the understatement of the century," Jou sighed," Just do me one favor, Solitaire."

"And what would that be?" Solitaire asked suspicisouly.

"When you guys meet, don't tell moneybags that you're related to the Blue Eyes. 'Cause if he finds out that they're real, he's gonna be doin' anything that he can to see them himself," Jou muttered.

Solitaire's reaction to that was just a disgusted scowl. Being a human, Jou obviously didn't understand the protocol that involved both dragons and the Shadow Realm. For both of them, it was an unwritten fact that one did not just go seeking them out for the simple reason of seeing them. There had to be a specific and very good reason to risk the anger of one and eternal banishment for breaking the law in another.

"Not a chance. I might teleport for Yugi, but not for some delusional human. I happen to like my head where it is," Solitaire snorted.

She turned her back on Jou to show him that she was offended that he would even suggest such a thing to her. It was a gesture that didn't go over too well with Jou, who didn't understand what he had done wrong. All he knew was that the dragon was scolding him for something that she found insulting. He was going to ask just what he had done wrong now when Solitaire had turned her back on him and effectively made it clear that she didn't want to hear what else he had to say. Not that it stopped a now agitated Jou from speaking his mind anyhow.

"What's your problem now, ya overgrown lizard? What'd I say this time? All I did was ask ya not to tell Kaiba about your relatives so he wouldn't want to go to the Shadow Realm and you act like that's a crime," Jou growled.

"That's because it can be if someone ever found out what she did if that happened, Jou," Yugi said, coming to his friend's rescue.

"Huh?" Jou replied.

"Jumping between worlds can be very dangerous, especially if you do it too many times at once. It makes the boundaries between where you've been and where you're going unstable. If it's left alone, eventually, it'll heal itself. But if you keep it up too much, the worlds start to merge and that just makes a mess of everything," Yugi explained," That's why there's a law in the Shadow Realm that governs the use of those powers and punishes those who abuse it. And that law includes that Solitaire never use her powers to bring anyone from outside the Shadow Realm in unless she was given permission."

His explanation instantly calmed Jou down and made him realize how that request might have seemed like an insult to Solitaire. He didn't like how she had reacted, but with that sort of pressure breathing down her neck, Jou could understand why Solitaire had acted like that. So he was willing to cut her some slack this time instead of starting another fight.

From the looks that he was receiving from Anzu and Honda, he might also want to offer a bit of an apology. Nothing extravagant of course since it was only a small misunderstanding, but enough that it would clear things up between them. After all, with the way things were going, they were going to be spending a lot of time together in the coming weeks. And it would be better to stay on the right side of one another as much as possible.

"Eh, no hard feelings, right Solitaire? I wasn't tryin' to start anything," Jou asked.

Glancing back at him, Solitaire sighed," I know that. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that, but I've always been touchy about using my power. It's the one thing that I'm scared of getting in trouble for because I know how strict the code is to protect the dimensional barriers. You make one mistake and you're as good as gone."

"But what about bringing Yugi here? Won't that get you into trouble when someone finds out?" Anzu protested.

"No," Solitaire said simply.

"Okay, I'm confused. If this is such a big deal, why would bringing Yugi here not get you into trouble? I thought you just said that this law applied to everyone," Honda demanded.

"It does if someone isn't a servant of a yami or a hikari. But I'm a Hikari and Solitaire's my servant. So anything I ask her to do, no one's going to make a big deal about because she was just following my orders," Yugi replied," After all, I'm born of light itself. What sort of trouble could I possibly cause by having my servant teleport me somewhere?"

He looked at the others innocently, but somehow, they knew better than to believe everything he said this time. There was just a certain gleam in the back of Yugi's eyes that told them as much. Whether it was from being around someone like Solitaire for so long or just a natural part of his personality that was mostly kept hidden away, none could be sure. All that they knew was that it there and was enough for them to be just slightly wary.

"Yugi, light or not, I think you have a sneaky streak buried in there somewhere," Honda snorted.

Yugi only blinked at him. He had no idea as to why Honda would come to that assumption. All he had done was to state a legitimate fact of when it came to the Shadow Realm. Why would that make Honda assume that he had a sneaky side buried somewhere was beyond him. But in the end, he decided to just let things go. It wouldn't make any difference if he tried to argue anything.

Yugi did wonder about something else though. It had slipped his mind for the moment, but then it came back to him. There was still the question of how his friends and this Kaiba had known about the Blue Eyes. As far as he knew from the scrolls that he had read, it was impossible for humans to have gone to the Shadow Realm to see the Monsters. They just didn't have the magical knowledge or the ability to do such things. So how could they possibly know about some of the most powerful creatures that had ever been born into existence.

"It's strange," Yugi murmured.

"What is, Yugi?" Anzu asked.

"How you could possibly know about the Blue Eyes White Dragons. As far as I know, they've never left the Shadow Realm and keep to themselves unless all the dragons are called together," Yugi said.

"Which has only happened once," Solitaire commented.

Yugi kneeled down and placed a hand on the dragon's head, signaling for her to be silent for the moment. He didn't feel that now was the time for sidelong commentaries. Right now, they had something that could be important to discuss. Thankfully, Solitaire understood the silent message and kept her mouth shut. Thus giving Yugi the time he needed to both think things out and then find the answers he sought from the humans.

"And I know that no Blue Eyes has ever left the Shadow Realm. They had no desire to travel. So how could you know?" Yugi continued.

"I don't know where the idea came from, but I know how Kaiba knows about them dragons. He knows about them because they're his favorite Duel Monster cards. He never plays without them in his deck, no matter how many times he changes the damn thing," Jou snorted.

"What are Duel Monster cards?" Yugi asked.

"Duel Monsters card are part of a game that we play all over the world. It's one of the most popular games ever," Honda replied.

"Do you have any of these cards? I'd like to take a look at them," Yugi requested.

"Yeah, sure. Right here," Jou said as he went over to the couch and fished around in his jacket pocket.

A moment later he pulled out a slightly scuffed up deck of cards and brought it back to Yugi. The hikari took it with curiosity shining in his eyes, already examining the top of the deck. It was a mixture of brown and black, with the brown acting as both an outside border while mixing into a swirl with the black. Some of the edges were a little bent in the corner, suggesting that they had been used several times. Though unfamiliar with the concept of cards, Yugi could admire the meaning that these obviously held for Jou.

When he started turning them over and going through them however, Yugi was greeted by something he knew all too well. Or rather, the faces of creatures that he knew all too well. Staring back at Yugi were the forms and faces of Monsters like the Panther Warrior and Rocket Man that dwelled in the Shadow Realm. None of them had ever served among Yami's minions, but Yugi had seen plenty of them at one point or another. It was like a part of the Shadow Realm had followed him here and in a way, that was almost comforting.

"Well Yugi? See any old friends?" Jou asked.

"All of these are creatures that live in the Shadow Realm. There's no doubt about it," Yugi replied.

"No joke, Yugi?" Jou asked.

"No, it's true. There's a few minor differences in the coloration in some of them from the true form and the proportions, but other than that, these are exact copies," Yugi nodded.

He handed the cards back to Jou, immediately knowing that only a few of his questions about them had been answered. In their place however, more than a dozen others had come into being. It was a situation that Yugi knew was going to plague him during their stay on Earth until he found out the source of these cards. How he would do that, Yugi had no idea. All that he knew was that he was going to find out no matter how long it took him.

A/N: Okay, I suppose this is going a little slower than most of you might want, but I'm trying to build up for upcoming chapters. So if anyone wants this to be sped up, I apologize. I just want to make a decent story. Still, thanks to everyone who has read this so far and given their reviews. It's really helped me keep this fic off the ground for awhile now.


	9. Dragon vs Dragon

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 8: Dragon vs. Dragon

A/N: Wow, I got this quicker than I thought that I would. This one is a little more rushed than previous ones, but that's because I didn't over as much material like I did in everything else. Also, the pairing of Jou and Kaiba will probably be the last one that I place in this story. Since I'm not using every character from the series, I don't have any reason to worry about finding other couples. This'll help to save on both writing time and story ideas. 

When it came to figuring out how someone had found about the Shadow Realm creatures, Yugi decided that it was something that he would pursue later. Right now, something else had caught his attention. The door to the den started to jiggle as someone on the other end tried to open it. Everyone froze at the sound and for a brief second, no was sure what they should do.

As they stood there, a voice rang out from the other side of the door. It was calm at first, requesting that Jou open the door. The longer that request went unanswered though, the more demanding and angrier the voice became. The three humans instantly paled at hearing that voice no matter what the tone was, especially Jonouchi. They knew very well who it was and that the very sound meant trouble for them all. At least it would as soon they opened the door, which might not be at their own hand from the way that the voice's owner started pounding on the door. The very force being used was almost enough to knock the door off its hinges despite the lock.

Yelling and banging finally prompted the humans to start acting. Not in a productive way though, as one might hope in order to prevent further trouble. The only reaction that Anzu and the boys had was one of panicky conversation. One that just left Yugi and Solitaire utterly confused about the whole situation while their friends argued among themselves.

"Shit!" Honda growled.

"Man. What's he doing home now?" Jou groaned.

"I thought you said that he wasn't supposed to be home until late tonight," Anzu hissed.

"He wasn't!" Jou said.

"Then what's he doing here!" Honda demanded.

"I don't know," Jou snapped," I just know that he sounds pissed and is gonna break down that door in about 30 seconds."

"All right. Um, okay," Anzu said quickly," Jou, you get the door. Solitaire, you hide under the couch. Honda and I'll hide Yugi."

"Excuse me? You want me to hide under a couch?" Solitaire asked.

"YES!" Anzu said sharply.

Solitaire didn't need any further prompting. The order hadn't even left Anzu's lips when the dragon darted out of sight. The last that anyone saw of her was the tip of Solitaire's tail as she scrambled under one of the couches. But their attention wasn't focused on the dragon, it was on getting themselves situated. While Jou ran to the door, Anzu and Honda yanked Yugi back behind them in an effort to hide him.

It was a tense moment as Jou approached the door. He knew what was most likely going to happen when he opened it, but he knew that it was something that he couldn't avoid. If he left the door closed and the person on the other side managed to knock it off the hinges, then there was going to be hell to pay. Then again, when he did open it, there was still going to be hell to pay from how angry the one on the other side of the door sounded. So either way, he knew that they were in for trouble.

The moment he opened the door, Jonouchi knew that he had been right. Standing on the other side of the doorway was none other than his lover and CEO of one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, Kaiba Seto. Under normal circumstances, when Kaiba saw Jou, there would be an uncharacteristic soft glow to his eyes that was reserved for two people in the entire world. Now though, Kaiba's gaze was anything but soft and gentle. It was that of an enraged and annoyed man who was out for blood.

Jou backed away as he tried to meet and hold his lover's gaze. He knew that the other was upset about something but he hadn't been expecting this. The only time that he had ever seen Kaiba like was when a deal had gone wrong at the company or someone had made the mistake of crossing. Since he knew that there were no business deals going on at the moment, Jou guessed that it was the latter. And somehow, he had the feeling that the someone who had crossed the line was him.

"Uh, hiya Seto. How's it going?" Jou joked nervously.

Kaiba didn't answer. Instead he just stepped into the room without a word. His gaze left Jou so that it looked beyond his boyfriend and his friends to the one standing behind them. That person met his gaze without either hesitation or fear. In fact, if Kaiba wasn't mistaken, there was actually a bit of curiosity shining in the amethyst eyes that were staring at him. This in part, though he didn't show it, surprised the CEO to a point because by now, most people would have been at least averting their eyes in other directions once their eyes met for the first time. That didn't even appear to be the case with Yugi in any regard.

From his perspective behind Anzu and Honda, the human known as Kaiba Seto was a tall brunette who had some of the most piercing eyes that Yugi had ever seen in his life. They were a dark blue that somewhat reminded him of the dragons that the human was supposed to be obsessed with. But his eyes were more shadowed and wearied than Yugi had ever seen in the Blue Eyes White Dragons, whose eyes were clear and bright despite the deep-set blue that created them. Something had obviously happened to this human in the past that made his eyes so cold and dark.

Just what that might be was something Yugi knew that would probably never know. At the moment, he had bigger concerns to be worried about. Namely, the way that Kaiba was watching him with those cold eyes of his. Not in a curious way that might suggest that he might be wondering who Yugi was on a friendly basis. The kind that made the demand of who Yugi was and why he had dared to enter Kaiba's home without his permission.

"You're home kinda early, Seto. W-what's the occasion?" Jou tried.

"I was going to surprise you since my last business meeting was canceled but it seems that you have one for me instead," Kaiba said," So who is this?"

"This is Yugi. He needs a place to stay and I thought that he could stay with us for awhile," Jou stated.

The statement made Kaiba look at his lover as if he had just eaten something sour. His eyes widened slightly at first but then became mere slits. His expression darkened once more as he considered Jou's explanation and how he himself should respond to such a thing. After all, this was not a decision that Kaiba was going to accept lightly. Especially since it was one that Jou had made without consulting him about having a complete stranger in their home.

"No he's not, Jonouchi," Kaiba replied.

Jou had expected that answer but that didn't keep the bluntness of Kaiba's instant refusal from stinging just a bit. He had hoped that seeing how innocent and naïve looking Yugi was, then maybe it might have kept his boyfriend from outright refusing to accept a guest of Jou's. After all, regardless of what he was and how he tried to portray himself otherwise, Yugi just had the appearance of needing to be sheltered and protected by others.

That should have been something that not even the great Kaiba Seto was immune to. Yet despite all of his hoping, it appeared that Jou was stuck. Seto seemed to be completely immune to Yugi's innocent appearance and the silent pleading that Jou had shining in his eyes. Both of which were acts of strong will since one looked like an adorable child and the other was a lover that he wasn't known to deny very often if ever.

Regardless of what happened or what he had hoped would happen, Jou felt more than just the sting of hurt when Kaiba refused to allow Yugi to remain. He was also a bit angry that Kaiba wasn't even willing to consider letting Yugi stay with them. The least that he could have done was talk with Jou about it. After all, it wasn't like Jou had ever asked for something like this before. So it wasn't too much for Kaiba to hear him out about why he wanted to let Yugi stay with them.

"And why can't he?" Jou demanded," I mean, you haven't even heard why he needs to stay here. You should at least do that before sayin' he can't stay."

"It's simple. You can't just bring in kids that you find on the street, Jou. We're not a daycare center," Kaiba said sternly," If he's lost or run away, then you need to take him to the police so that they can get him back home."

"But he can't go home, Seto!" Jou protested.

"And Yugi's not a kid, he's just small for his age," Honda corrected.

"Small or not, he's not staying here. I want him out of here now. I'm not running a charity for every person that you find roaming the streets," Kaiba snorted.

"But he doesn't have anywhere else to go! He needs to be with us," Anzu said without thinking.

Kaiba turned his gaze towards her without hesitation. Unlike Jou, who he might soften up for slightly, there were no such feelings for Anzu. She was no friend of his and the only reason he tolerated her was for Jou's sake. Otherwise, he would have ignored her completely and had her removed from his home as quickly as possible. The same as he would have done to Honda, since he had a similar attitude towards the fourth teen.

"That's not my problem, Mazaki. If he wants to get around in life, then he has to be prepared to find his own way. I don't waste my time with weaklings," Kaiba said.

"You wanna repeat that last part?" a voice snarled from behind Kaiba.

Kaiba turned around instantly to see who had dared to challenge him. Hearing that voice though, Kaiba was inwardly surprised. As far as he knew, there wasn't supposed to be anyone else in the room. After all, the den wasn't a very big place and with the way that the furniture was arranged, it was impossible for someone to hide behind anything. So where had the voice come from?

"Whoever said that, show yourself," Kaiba ordered.

"Right here," the voice hissed.

Kaiba instantly turned to the source of the voice. What he found was none other than Solitaire standing on the back of the couch where she had previously been hiding. At first, the dragon was going to stay hidden like Jou had told her until he said that it was safe again. When she heard what Kaiba had said about Yugi and Anzu though, that was just too much for Solitaire's temper. So regardless of the consequences, she had come out of hiding in order to challenge the new human. Now she was staring Kaiba straight in the eye as she brought herself up to her full height with claws extended and spikes raised. Her eyes glittering angrily as she stared at the now thoroughly startled CEO.

"You wanna a pick a fight with someone, then do it with me. I'll be happy to oblige. But you better leave Yugi and Anzu alone or I'll take you out right now," Solitaire snarled.

Under normal circumstances, Kaiba would have risen to that challenge without hesitation. And by normal, that meant when he was facing another human being. When coming face to face with a miniaturized dragon on the other hand, that brought out an entirely different reaction in Kaiba. As soon as he saw Solitaire, anything that he might have said was lost as he fell into a stunned stupor. The best that he could do was stare at Solitaire in complete shock while she continued to glare at him.

"Solitaire!" Jou hissed," I thought I told ya to hide."

"I know that but I'm not going to hide under a couch while someone insults my friends," Solitaire snorted.

She eyed Seto critically. His words had not given him a good rating in her book and that meant that he was treading on thin ice with her for the moment. If he tried anything else that displeased the dragon, then it would nothing but trouble for Kaiba. Solitaire would not hesitate for a second to give the human a shock he would never forget if it came to that.

His reaction was slightly amusing though. It wasn't often that Solitaire brought that sort of expression to someone's face. Back home in the Shadow Realm, a little dragon like herself was nothing to be excited about. There were far grander and more impressive creatures dwelling in the other world than someone like Solitaire. Yet when it came to humans, the first sighting of her always seemed to bring out shock and surprise all at the same time.

Turning to Jou, Solitaire asked," So does he do this often or what?"

"Nope," Jou replied," I think you actually managed to make him speechless for a change."

He didn't say anything, but Jou thought that the situation was just as funny as Solitaire did. It wasn't often that he saw his lover look so flabbergasted about anything. Seto spent so much of his time being serious and uptight that it was impossible to imagine that he could feel anything else. So to actually see him showing some emotion outside of the bedroom and being with his loved ones was something special.

The silence could only last so long before Kaiba finally broke out of his trance. Not completely of course, since he was still in shock at seeing a dragon trying to pick a fight with him. But still enough where he could actually form some sort of response, though not among the most articulate.

"Y-you're a dragon!" Kaiba blurted.

"Really? Wow, I hadn't noticed before," Solitaire snorted.

Kaiba stared a moment longer but then shook his head to clear it a bit. He honestly couldn't believe what happening. There sitting before on the back of one of his couches him was a dragon and to top it all off, his boyfriend was talking with it as if they were old friends. That was not only beyond bizarre, it was completely insane. It was enough to make him wonder if he really had been working too many hours like his brother and Jou so often claimed. That would certainly explain why he was seeing this.

Kaiba shook that off immediately. There was no way that he was loosing his mind. He was too strong willed and clearheaded for that sort of nonsense. So that meant that there was something else going on. Maybe a prank thought up by Jou and his friends in one of their lame attempts to get him to loosen up as so many people suggested he do.

"What kind of trick is this?" Kaiba demanded.

"What makes you think that this is some sort of trick?" Solitaire growled.

"It has to be because everyone knows that dragons aren't real, especially talking ones," Kaiba retorted.

"This ain't no trick," Jou insisted before Solitaire could reply back," Solitaire's just as real as you or me, moneybags."

Still unconvinced, Kaiba decided that he would see for himself if this dragon were truly real or not. It was plain to see that it was no dog in a costume, not with Solitaire's ability to speak or how well her forearms moved like they did. That made him think that maybe it might be an advanced form of robot. It certainly wouldn't be too farfetched with how advanced technology was progressing, especially not with all that he had personally seen in the field. So maybe that was what Solitaire was. To test this theory, he reached out a hand to examine Solitaire for himself.

The instant his hand came to close though, the dragon reacted immediately. She raised her crest even further and bared her teeth in warning. Solitaire added a snarl for added effect, as it seemed to cause an instinctive reaction in humans that there was danger nearby. A fact that she would use to her advantage as much as possible.

"Touch the scales, lose the hand," Solitaire growled as sparks crackled along her back.

Like everyone else, she had been expecting Kaiba to back away in either fear or by instinct at the nearness of electricity. No one that she knew other than electric based Monsters ever liked to go near such things. To her surprise though, the human did no such thing. Instead, he only stood there for a moment, watching her intensely before moving closer. His face was impassive, but his eyes sparkled with an interest that made the dragon uncomfortable.

"You can generate electricity?" Kaiba asked.

"Um, yeah," Solitaire answered.

His question has surprised Solitaire so much that she had actually lowered her guard a bit. The sparks that had been starting to fly off of her back slowly dissipated and finally just disappeared altogether. All that remained in their stead was a very confused and almost worried dragon. It just wasn't natural for her to come across someone who wasn't either scared of her electrical attacks or yelling their heads off at her to stop being stupid and to remember her place.

"Interesting. I always read that dragons are supposed to breathe fire or some other element. I never knew that one could generate an electrical output with its own body," Kaiba murmured as he looked Solitaire over," Then again, who ever heard of one being so much of a runt and if they weren't a Chinese dragon, to be without wings."

"Hey! Not all dragons have to be the size of a mountain or have wings to prove anything. Some of us prefer to walk than go floating off into the big nothing," Solitaire snorted defensively.

"Don't you mean the big nowhere?" Kaiba corrected.

"You say it your way, I say it my way. Deal with it, human," Solitaire sniffed.

Kaiba stiffened at Solitaire's tone. He might have been fascinated by the fact that there was an actual dragon before him, but there was no way that he was going to let anyone talk to him like that. He was Kaiba Seto, CEO of one of the most progressive gaming companies around and one of the most influential men on Earth. No one had the right to talk to him with anything less than respect unless they were his equal or better. The first of which was rare and the other of which was impossible.

"What makes you think that you have the right to speak to me like that in my own home, reptile? Do you know who I am?" Kaiba demanded.

"I happen to think that I'm the one who can fry you in a heartbeat if it suited me," Solitaire snorted," As to who you are, you're just an annoying human like that one behind you."

She gestured at Jou absently, gaze still locked on Seto. Now this was met with two reactions. On Jou's part, he was just getting a little tired of the dragon either referring to him as being full of hot air or being an idiot. For Seto, a dark expression covered his face for two reasons. The first was that Solitaire had just insulted both himself and his lover. The second was that she dared to drop him to a level lower than herself. Neither was something that his pride to allow to go unpunished.

"You should know that I don't allow anyone to talk to me like that and that includes uppity little reptiles like you. I especially don't take that sort of treatment in my own home. So unless you want me to call show you just what I'm capable of, you better apologize," Kaiba said coolly.

"I don't apologize to people who insult me first and especially not when they threaten or insult my friends. Which was what you were doing when you told Yugi to leave, yelled at Anzu and when you called me a runt. So unless you start making up for that, you can just bring it on, human. I'm ready to rumble anytime you are," Solitaire snapped.

She emphasized this point by letting a few more sparks come off from her back. Not enough where it could do any damage to anyone, but enough where it could get her point across. At least, that was what she was going for. There was really no guarantee that even with the warning that Kaiba would take it to heart. He might very well ignore it and still continue to push his luck with her. So it was a standoff between the two as Kaiba stood there, contemplating his decision.

As it often did whenever he was weighing his options, Kaiba's face remained completely passive. He knew that by technicality, he had the right to throw both Yugi and Solitaire out of his home. After all, they were not his guests which meant that they had no place in his home. On the other hand though, they were Jou's friends and he had invited them there. Since that was the case, then that also meant that he had to be somewhat civil to them.

Then there was what Solitaire had said about the insults that he had given to Yugi and Anzu. She said that he had been the one who had started everything. All that she had done was to finish the job or at least bring it to this point. Now she was leaving what happened next up to Kaiba, whether the outcome was good or bad. A fact which left him seeing her point somewhat, though he wasn't going to admit to it.

"I should still turn you into a pair of shoes for saying that," Kaiba muttered in semi-defeat.

It was the closest that he would come to admitting that he had been in the wrong for saying those things about Yugi and Anzu. To do anything else would just be out of his nature. His pride kept that fact certain. But Kaiba's pride didn't keep Yugi from finally speaking up. By now, the hikari had found his voice for the first time and spoke up.

"It's not your place to do anything to Solitaire even if you think you can," Yugi replied.

"And just what makes you think that I can't?" Kaiba demanded.

"She's not yours, that's why. Solitaire belongs to me. She's my servant. So I'm the only one who can decide what to do with her," Yugi explained.

"Your…servant?" Kaiba said slowly.

"Yes, she's my servant and that makes her mine," Yugi nodded.

"Why in the world would you want to keep something that flippant as a servant?" Kaiba said before he realized what he was saying.

"I can see why you would say that. I know that she can be blunt, but that's what I value about Solitaire," Yugi said as he walked over and patted Solitaire's neck spikes," She isn't afraid to say what's on her mind when most people just like to tiptoe around the truth. It's what makes her such a good friend to me, but what makes her a nuisance to everyone else."

Solitaire grinned smugly at that description, as she wasn't afraid to hear the truth about her life at the palace. After all, she had never tried to dissuade Yugi or anyone else from admitting such things about her. It was the truth after all and just let others know about the reputation that she had spent years building. Which helped to keep them from getting the wrong idea that she might be a pushover willing to do their bidding.

As he looked down at them, Kaiba realized that he could, to a certain point, understand why Yugi would want someone like Solitaire around. Being the head of his own company, he was used to those who would try to suck up to him with flattery and lies in order to get what they wanted. At times it was so bad that Kaiba just wished that they would all do the world a favor and disappear from the face of the planet. Sadly, though he could have arranged for such a fate if he truly wanted, Kaiba's luck went like that since he was still stuck with most of the annoying flatterers.

So when someone who was actually honest appeared, which was about as rare as finding needle in a haystack, it was not an opportunity that Kaiba passed up. That was how he had gotten into his relationship with Jou in the first place. The blonde was the only person who had never backed down from his insults and instead proceeded headlong into an argument with the brunette CEO. It wasn't to say that Jou had always been able to hold his ground in their earlier arguments, but the tenacious honesty that he displayed towards Kaiba had impressed the other greatly. And which had ultimately been one of the main reasons why he had asked Jonouchi out in the first place.

Impressed or not though, Kaiba still didn't like how Solitaire acted. As a servant, even one who was valued for her frank nature, she should have had some manners. Which made him wonder just what sort of disciplinary training Yugi gave to his dragon in order to make her behave. It obviously wasn't that strict if she felt the need to act out so brashly.

When he realized what he was thinking, Kaiba could have smacked himself. Why the hell would he be worried about how some child trained his dragon? The real question that he should have been asking himself was where Yugi had gotten her. Now that it was confirmed that Solitaire was indeed a true dragon, then it meant that there could very well be others like her. That of course, led to much bigger questions and possibly bigger problems that needed to be answered immediately.

"Where'd he get her?" Kaiba demanded suddenly.

"Huh?" Jou said.

"You heard me, Katsuya. Where did he get that dragon?" Kaiba repeated.

"Uh, would ya believe me if I told ya that he got her at a raffle?" Jou laughed nervously.

He hoped that Kaiba would get the joke, but it didn't go over as planned. If anything, it just seemed to annoy his lover because of the delay that it caused. A sign that if Jou didn't want to end up with more trouble, then he better come up with a better response than that and quickly. After all, it might very well be the one thing to win Kaiba over when it came to the pair staying.

"People don't just get dragons out of thin air, puppy. They have to come from somewhere. So where did this one come from?" Kaiba stated.

"You better sit down for this one, Kaiba. This is gonna be a doozie," Honda warned almost wickedly.

Seto arched an eyebrow. When it concerned an actual dragon, he knew that it had to be something unusual. Yet even for something like that, it couldn't be so strange that it would cause a mental breakdown for a person. There was nothing in the world that could lead to that unless a person was already of weak constitution. At least, that was the way that Kaiba felt. Yet somehow, as he took a seat on one of the couches as Honda had suggested, Kaiba also felt that what he was about to hear was still out of the ordinary.

A/N: And that is it for this chapter. It's sort of my favorite because now I have someone else for Solitaire to spar with. Hehe. Sorry, but for some reason, she's just become the way that I vent out my frustrations because of all the annoying people that I meet during the day. It makes great humor to me, so I use it. Though that's probably not saying much since I don't have much of a sense of humor. But anyhow, thanks to everyone for reading and I promise to have another chapter up within the next few weeks if I can.


	10. Lessons

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 9: Lessons

A/N: In this chapter I decided to pick up the pace a little bit and introduce the circumstances more quickly. This way, everyone will still be able to find out what's been happening but also be able to read the other details that I've had in mind since I first started this story two years ago. Hopefully, it doesn't move too fast. If it does though, just e-mail me and I'll clear anything up. Also I'm sorry that it took so long for me to get this chapter up when I promised an update more than a month ago. I'm sorry to say that my computer crashed in mid-March and I lost every file that I had saved on the hard drive. Thankfully I had backup copies for all my stories but they were older versions that didn't include the changes that I had made. So I had to do a lot of reconstruction on them when I could find the time between work, school, and home life. I hope that everyone can forgive me for that and I try to speed up production of this fic in the future.

The rest of the day was a long process of explaining the facts and asking questions that no one was willing to repeat after it was done. Surprisingly, after hearing the entire story, Kaiba took things remarkably well. At first, he had been a little skeptical that Yugi and Solitaire were telling the truth. It was something that had been engrained into him since childhood when he was forced to look at things logically and deny that there could be anything but cold hard facts to support existence. It was how he did things with his company and was one of the reasons why he was so successful with what he did. Yet it was also what limited him to what he was capable of believing in.

Well, Kaiba got the facts that he desired. A demonstration of Yugi's powers was the deciding factor that saw to that. He watched dumbfounded as the Hikari levitated both him and the couch that he had been sitting on almost to the ceiling. Since he had known full well that there were no wires attached to his furniture, Kaiba knew that what he was experiencing was no trick. What it did, once he had gotten over his shock, was cause the young CEO to launch into a thousand questions about their world and abilities.

Like before, Yugi and Solitaire tried to answer his questions to the best of their abilities. Naturally, some answers were easier to come by than others. Like how they had been with such abilities and what they were most often used for in the Shadow Realm. Then there were those answers that were easy to give but were difficult to accept. One of which was when Yugi revealed both his true nature as a hikari and the estimation of his age by human terms.

With this, Kaiba was a little more than skeptical than he was with everything else. He might have been willing to accept the existence of magic since it was actually possible to see that in action for himself. When it came to age however, unless someone had been with a person for a long time or had actual records, it was impossible to be certain of things. Especially when in the case of appearance, as there were always those who either looked older or younger than they really were.

Regardless of whether he believed Yugi about his age or not, the demonstration of his powers was enough to convince Kaiba that he was telling the truth about not being human. And that was enough to ensure that with a few conditions set down by Kaiba that they would be able to remain at the mansion for the duration of their visit to Earth. Of course, staying meant that they would have to follow Kaiba's conditions to the letter or face having to find other accommodations. One was that Solitaire would have to remain out of sight at all times when around anyone but their select group. If she saw or sensed anyone else coming, then she was to either hide herself immediately or return to the room she would be sharing with Yugi.

One thing Kaiba Seto did not want to happen is that he suddenly find his home swarming with fortune seekers and whacked out scientists because they heard there was some unknown species running around. If that happened, he would have to spend countless hours and funds trying to convince them that it was a mistake. So he made it clear that either Solitaire follow this or both of them were on their own. The other condition was that neither Yugi nor Solitaire ever to leave the mansion without someone to accompany them. As they were unfamiliar with both the general area and Earth customs, it was for their own safety. Plus, though he didn't say anything, Seto figured that it would be the best failsafe against any retaliation from the infamous Yami. If he was as powerful as hikari and dragon claimed, then the last thing that they needed was to have him angered because Yugi had gotten hurt. So Seto wasn't going to take any chances with Yugi and would instill as many safeguards as possible to ensure his safety without raising suspicion.

Thankfully, he had had Jou and the others to help back the safeguards. Though they weren't aware of what Kaiba was doing, they all agreed that it was best that the pair have a guide. None of them wanted anything to happen to their new friends, so they wanted to do what they could to make sure that they were all right. Which helped to ensure that even if they didn't fully like the restrictions that Yugi and Solitaire would agree to them. It was something that would make life easier for everyone in the long run.

Of course, hikari and dragon weren't the only ones who had to agree to conditions. Seto also had a few thrown his way once things were ironed out. With a few well-chosen threats, Jou had made it clear that his lover wasn't going to study Yugi and Solitaire's powers no matter how curious he was about them. Unless they voluntarily allowed their abilities to be studied, Kaiba was to leave them alone. Otherwise, he would find himself sleeping alone in a very cold bed for the entire duration of the pair's stay on Earth.

That was the one threat that Jou could ever give that Kaiba would always believe, so he did not doubt the validity. So the pair of visitors were perfectly safe from any unwanted attention in the scientific department. Not there weren't other ways for one's curiosity to be satisfied. The weeks that followed the initial introductions were quite the learning experience for both the humans and their new friends. Not only were Yugi and Solitaire learning more about the Human Realm than they would have back home, but Jou, Honda, Anzu and the Kaiba brothers were getting firsthand experience in how matters were dealt with in other realities. Namely, they were finding out that a lot of what they thought that they knew about life was just a big joke compared to what their new friends were telling them.

For starters, there was no doubt now about whether or not their universe was the only one capable of supporting life. There was also no question that there was intelligent life in these other worlds. That fact was evident enough just by having the two newcomers present. No the questions instead came to be about how the society from which they came from worked and how things were different in the alternate dimension. There were also a few about how many different worlds there actually were, though that was an answer that no one could give. In those matters, the best that could be said was that things were decided according to the will of the fates and that it was best to accept that.

In any case, it was a situation that went both ways. Just as the humans had questions about the Shadow Realm and other places, so too did the newcomers have theirs about how things worked on Earth. All in all, the questions that were being asked were also what helped to build the foundations for relations between the two groups. It gave them all a chance to get to know each other both personally and based upon the culture from which they originated. Things were made easier this way since both sides were allowed to overcome any ignorance that might be present at the same time rather than on separate occasions.

Not too surprisingly, after they had gotten to know each other, Yugi and Mokuba had become remarkably close. Though one was exceptionally older than the other was, their mindsets often placed them on the same wavelength. Something that soon led to them becoming playmates who often spent the evenings playing and teaching each other games before the younger went to bed. Then anything else that Yugi might want to know or play would be placed in the hands of the older humans.

Something that proved to be easier said than done. For all his appearance of being frail and delicate, Yugi had a surprising abundance of energy and could keep going long after others had tired out. In fact, it wasn't unusual for him to still be going when the rest of his friends were too tired to even bat an eyelash let alone say anything to get him to slow down. The only ones who ever seemed have to enough energy to come close to keeping up with him were Mokuba and Solitaire.

For the former, that simply came from the energy of youth and childhood. Being a child, it was natural for him to have so much energy in order to grow and learn about the world around him. The latter however, simply had more stamina than any human could possibly hope to possess. It was a common thing for any species of dragon to have such a trait because of the necessity to survive the harsh environments they often inhabited. That and she was used to dealing with Yugi's massive energies from several millennia of association. Not to say that everyone wasn't able to build up some sort of rapport at time when on.

That was especially helped by the relationships that had steadily been formed among the group. For Yugi, that was a process that proved easiest due to her friendly and cheerful nature. He soon had everyone, even Kaiba to an extent, talking with him as if they had known one another for years. There were some relationships that developed more closely than others. In particular, the one that Yugi got along with best out of the humans was none other than Jonouchi himself.

Despite their initial meeting, the two had become remarkably close. This might not have been too surprising since Jou was the human that Yugi spent the most time around. Since Kaiba had a company to run and Mokuba was still in school, the two of them were usually gone for most of the day. Honda and Anzu came over as much as they could, but with their jobs, families and getting ready for college entrance exams taking up a lot of their time as well, they couldn't be around as much as they would have liked. Since he had no family other than his younger sister that he liked to deal with and Kaiba had basically insisted that he be the one to take care of his lover in all things, he was the perfect choice to remain with Yugi. Thus giving him the chance to get closer to Yugi as he explained the human world as best he could.

For the occasions when he mixed things up a little too much, which actually happened more often than Jou liked to admit, Anzu was the one that helped to clear things up. She was the one that became like a sister figure of Yugi and a very protective one at that. Anzu was that one that not only made sure that Yugi didn't get too confused, she was also that one that kept Jou and Honda from introducing him to certain concepts that he didn't need to know about. Concepts that would either confuse Yugi beyond reason or just give him the wrong impression of humanity, something which Anzu did not want to happen.

She took this experience far more seriously than the others. While they were all excited and curious when it came to learning about a new world, she was the one that saw it as an opportunity to act as sort of ambassadors for the Earth. As far as she knew it was the first real contact that humans had had with other intelligent beings and she felt that it was important that they make as good an impression as possible. Hopefully it might prove to the people of the Shadow Realm that it was safe to trust humans in the future if the chance ever arose to make peaceful contact. Yugi, though completely unaware of Anzu's hopes, took either side in stride. He just accepted them as more of those strange Earth customs that he would probably never understand.

The closeness that he shared with Jou, Anzu and Mokuba was not the case with all the humans of course. For example, Yugi and Honda got along well enough, but they just weren't able to connect with one another the way that the former was with the other three humans. The best that they were able to manage was to be relatively good friends who had a few things in common with one another. Otherwise, they didn't spend as much time together as they did with the others and were never really alone with each other like Yugi would sometimes do with the others.

The same thing applied to Seto and Yugi, only this did not hold the friendly relations that Honda had created with the hikari. For them, it was based mostly on civility and little else. Yugi was always friendly with Kaiba, there was no doubt about that since he always tried to be kind and cheerful with just about everyone he came into contact with. Kaiba on the other hand, just didn't come out of his shell in the same way that he only seemed to manage with his little brother and his lover. Just like how it had affected how he processed the world around him, so to did his upbringing affect how he interacted with those around him.

For the most part, Kaiba Seto had been raised to be cold, ruthless, and willing to do anything necessary in order to get what he wanted. That was how his adopted father, Gozuboro, felt that anyone would ever be able to make it in the business world. So he had taught his adopted son that if he were to show too much emotion, then it would show that he was weak and thus give his enemies an opening with which to take him down. As a result, anything that Seto felt outside of anger or disgust came to be limited to a select few. In his life that was the little brother who had been in his care since they were very young and the lover who had proven to be the grounding effect that he needed in his life.

When it came to everyone else, Seto would either ignore them or tolerate them. For those that he felt were incompetent with their work, he ignored outright. They were not people worthy of his attention and time. For those that could prove their merit, then they would be given the tolerant respect that was given to those that didn't shirk their responsibilities. A mixture of the two was given to Jou's friends, as they were people who meant something to his lover but were not of any worth to him. So he let them in his house and would speak to them on occasion in order to keep his lover satisfied. Something which Yugi seemed to accept from his personal experiences with Yami, since he never pressed the matter when it presented itself.

It was an entirely different matter when it came to Solitaire. If anyone attempted to treat her that way, then she would most certainly make her opinion known. This was what made her relationships with the humans far different than the ones that Yugi had. When it came to Mokuba, she would be gentle but stern. Though she had threatened to do so with the older humans, Solitaire would never harm Mokuba. In her opinion he was still little more than a hatchling as humans went and so still had a lot to learn. So where she might be willing to bite or scratch someone else when they offended her, Solitaire was willing to cut the boy some slack when he was a around her.

The same couldn't be said when it came to Jou and Honda. With those two, Solitaire's relationship was almost relatively the same. Whenever one of them annoyed her enough, she would threaten to zap them or play some sort of prank in order to get back at them. The difference was that Jou turned out to be more of a target for the dragon than Honda ever did. That was simply because Honda had a bit more sense than Jou when it came to not insulting someone who could basically turn him into a living light bulb if he wasn't careful.

Solitaire's opinion was dramatically changed when it came to Anzu. Out of all the older humans, she was the only one that the dragon didn't try to pick a fight with. The reason was that Anzu was the only one who made any real sense out of the whole lot. The others were either too dull or too full of themselves to suit her. Something she wasn't afraid to let others know if they annoyed her past the breaking point and which had more than once started an argument with whoever was pestering her.

That was especially true when it came to Kaiba. For some reason, despite his admiration for the Blue Eyes White Dragons and their kin, there was almost no respect beyond the barest form of common courtesy between the CEO and the dragon. When they weren't ignoring one another, the two were arguing over one thing or another. To most it was just a major cause for a headache and something that they either ignored or tried in vain to stop. Though after a few unfortunate incidents when the two would forget their argument and turn on whoever interrupted them, the former became the regular reaction.

Privately, Yugi always smiled whenever he saw Kaiba and Solitaire arguing with one another. He knew that in her own way, Solitaire was just finding a way cope with their situation by finding something familiar. Since he shared similar traits with Dark Magician, who had long since become Solitaire's main and favorite sparring partner, it seemed that she had chosen Kaiba to fill that role. Yugi never said anything of course. It would only ruin things for Solitaire both in her enjoyment of arguing with someone and by revealing that she found such a connection to home in Kaiba. Those were things that he knew that his friends would never be able to live down, so he just sat back and watched as Solitaire argued to her heart's content with Kaiba Seto.

Today, there was no such argument to worry about for the moment. Though it was Saturday afternoon, Kaiba was at work trying to iron out the final details on a new project that his company had been developing. It was something that had come to take up a good portion of his time and so kept him out of the house more often than he or his family would have liked. Still, it kept him and Solitaire from arguing endlessly, so there was a small consolation to look forward to.

Instead the main source of entertain came in the form of Mokuba and Yugi. Since he had no school that day, Mokuba had taken the opportunity to play with Yugi. It was a rare chance for a young boy who often had to spend his free time alone or in the company of his housemates' older friends. To finally have someone who didn't mind playing the sort of things that were more enjoyable for someone his age that didn't insist that they stop after only a few tries. As well as someone who could tell far better factual stories about his homeland that held Mokuba's attention in ways that Earth stories couldn't compare to.

Not to say that there were times when Mokuba felt a childish frustration with Yugi. The knack he had for winning games on the first go could be very annoying at times for someone who was used to playing at the expert level for his age. But this could easily be overlooked from the lessons and pieces of advice that Yugi offered whenever they finished playing their games. Somehow, the hikari always had far better observations and strategies than anyone that he had ever met before. That included his own older brother, who was a renowned Duelist champion and game specialist that was supposed to have no equal in the world.

At the moment, neither one was interested in games though. What Yugi and Mokuba had planned was the second favorite activity that they shared in common with playing games and that was solving puzzles. This was always something that kept them entertained when they were tired of games and wished for some other challenging amusement. And today, they were going over ones that made Yugi look as if he was almost drooling with anticipation.

As Mokuba handed him one such puzzle, Yugi breathed, "I have a lot of puzzles in my collection, but nothing like this."

"Do you wanna try it?" Mokuba asked.

"May I?" Yugi responded.

"Sure," Mokuba nodded.

"Thank you," Yugi replied as he eagerly took hold of the puzzle.

While he started on the puzzle, the other occupants of the room watched him with amused curiosity. They were all sitting on the couches away from the window, looking much the same as they did the first day that Yugi and Solitaire had been brought to the Kaiba mansion. The difference was that the atmosphere was nowhere near as tense as it had been that day. Now, it was completely relaxed and laid back.

There was a little bit of a disturbance among this tranquil scene however. Not the kind that came from Solitaire and Kaiba arguing, for which they were all thankful. That wouldn't be happening for a few hours yet since the latter wasn't home yet. He was still at the office, working on some new programs that he was planning to market in a few months. So there was no need to worry about that war happening just yet. No the disturbance in the group this time came from Honda who was observing Mokuba and Yugi from where he was lounging on a couch.

"I just don't get that little guy sometimes. One minute he's acting some little kid who can barely get along without his mommy and the next, he makes someone like Einstein look like a first grader," Honda snorted.

"That's a hikari for ya," Solitaire replied from where she lay on a couch arm near Jou," They're some of the strangest creatures ever born. Sometimes more naïve than a newborn and other times, the wisest creatures ever to walk the realms. It's what helps them to deal with those temperamental yamis of theirs."

The humans glanced at one another when they realized that unintentional irony Solitaire had just mentioned. Solitaire was truly a temperamental creature herself. Sometimes she would refuse to say anything about what happened in the Shadow Realm and other times, it was impossible to shut Solitaire up. Now was probably going to turn out to be one of the times that they wouldn't be able to silence her. Which meant the humans could look forward to at least an hour of her babbling on the complexities of the Shadow Realm and those that lived there.

Of course, as they had come to learn from Yugi, there were ways to steer to this to their advantage. If they could get in a few subtly placed words, they could get Solitaire to talk about something that might actually be of interest of them. And especially something that didn't send the dragon off in a tirade that wouldn't end for hours at a time. A situation that they were willing to try to avoid at all costs, given the dragon's attitude during those times.

"Hey Solitaire," Jou called.

Turning back to him, the dragon answered," What?"

"Just how many of these hikaris are there?" Jou asked," You keep sayin' it like there's more than just Yugi. How many are in the Shadow Realm?"

For a moment, Solitaire actually looked like she was taken aback by Jou's question. She obviously hadn't expected him to ask her something like that. Normally when someone asked her something, it was about what sort of powers her fellow Monsters had and what it was like living under the rule of someone like Yami. But now it was an entirely different subject that did surprise her but one that decided to answer anyway.

"Including Yugi, there's three that I know about. The other two are Ryou-sama and Malik-sama, hikaris to Bakura-sama and Marik-sama," she replied.

"What are Ryou and Malik like?" Anzu said.

"I've never met them personally, but I've heard about them from Yugi and other Monsters who are in their yamis' service. They say they're nice enough and that's about the standard personality for a hikari," she replied.

"But if they're nice like Yugi, then why can't you talk with them too? I thought being his servant meant you were allowed to do certain things," Anzu protested.

"That only applies if we're in Yami-sama's palace, not someone else's. If we're visiting someone, even another hikari, I have to keep my mouth shut and stay in Yugi's quarters unless he specifically asks for me to accompany him. It's not the best idea to go wandering around another yami's palace if you don't live there. You never know just what nasty surprises they might leave waiting for you," Solitaire corrected.

The way that she said those last few words sent involuntary shudders up more than one spine. They had heard some of the more vivid descriptions of the Shadow Realm's dangers from Solitaire already and if it was something that made her nervous, then they knew that it had to be bad. Which was enough to keep most of them from asking for any further information the matter. As always though, there was an exception to the majority rule and this was found in none other than Honda Hiroto.

"What sort of 'surprises'?" Honda asked almost nervously.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," Solitaire insisted.

She gave a visible shudder at that thought. Seeing that, the humans decided that it was better not to press the subject any further. None of them had ever seen Solitaire react to anything like that before, even the horror films that they had introduced her to one evening. So they decided that anything that was bad enough for Solitaire to act like that, then it was something that they didn't want to know about. Which meant that it was time to move onto another part of the same subject, just not in that particular area.

"So other than making traps and having hikaris, what are the yamis like?" Anzu asked.

"You want a personal account of each one or just the common criteria?" Solitaire yawned.

"Is there a difference?" Honda replied.

"Not much but some," Solitaire said.

"Um, how about a bit of both?" Anzu suggested," Then we can know what yamis are like both ways."

"Suit yourself. Which do you want to hear first?" Solitaire shrugged.

"How about what makes them all the same? If that happens, I mean," Jou said.

"Oh, it happens. Their personalities might be different, but there's plenty in the internal programming that makes them the same," Solitaire grumbled," They're all over possessive of their property and power, beyond overprotective when it comes to their hikaris, treat their servants well if they serve loyally and are always looking for some way to expand on what they already have. Basically, warmongers with enough shadow powers to make life as its known a living hell if the mood strikes them. The only time when they're not doing that is when they're trying to get their hikari into the bed, which happens pretty often since yamis like to get frisky whenever possible."

"Okay, too much information on the last part," Honda gagged.

"Majorly," Anzu agreed.

"Yeah," Jou nodded.

Flicking her ears lazily, Solitaire shrugged," Hey, you were the ones who asked. I was just doing what you wanted. If you wanted me to leave out details, you should have been more specific."

"We didn't think that you would include what was happening in the bedroom," Honda protested.

"Again, you weren't specific about what to include and what not to include. You said that you wanted to know what makes a yami a yami and that's part of it. Not my fault if you're so squeamish about it," Solitaire replied.

"Maybe we should just move onto what each of the yamis are like as individuals," Anzu said quickly before Honda could protest further," It sounds like we've already got down what makes them all alike."

Solitaire blinked. Once again she found herself privately wondering about the nature of humans. They seemed to want to know things but at the same time always got edgy about some of the most natural functions in the world. It was enough to make her wonder just how the species had managed to procreate itself this far. If they couldn't even talk about it without making a fuss, then how were they supposed to get it done when the time came?

Well, if that was how they were, then that was just how they were. As confusing as she found them, Solitaire knew that she couldn't change the views of an entire species. That would take more time and patience than she had ever possessed in her life. In fact, she doubted that there was any creature, be they sweet tempered hikaris, Mystical Elves, or a monk, would have the patience to change the views of humans. The species was just too set in its ways to make any changes to itself without making it more trouble than it was worth.

So she decided to drop the subject altogether and just get on with answering Anzu's question. It would certainly be less of a headache for her in the end. At least by telling how the yamis were different, no one could complain that she was being too specific about anything. After all, since they knew about the yamis' respective personalities to begin with, then there was nothing they could say in protest.

"All right. Well, like I said, there are three yamis that I know about. Yami-sama, Bakura-sama, and Marik-sama," Solitaire began," Yami-sama is easily the strongest of the three and he's also the most rational of the bunch, especially when under pressure. No one can beat him when it comes to strategies which means whenever they have duels, the others eventually lose to him one way or another. I guess you could also say that Yami-sama is the gentlest of the bunch, since he doesn't outright kill someone if there's some evidence that they might be innocent. Though I wouldn't go so far as to say that he's a good guy, since he's had his moments of dark moods like the rest of them. Plus, he doesn't always listen to others when he should."

Anzu and the boys listened well. They knew full well what Solitaire was referring to with that last bit of information. She was talking about how Yami's overprotective nature had kept him from seeing what he was doing to Yugi and so driving him to come to Earth in the first place. They also knew that now they were getting a different glimpse of the person that had unintentionally hurt their friend. For when Yugi described him, it was through a lover's eyes which would not always admit to the faults that his other half had. Through Solitaire though, who was a servant and could see things about Yami that Yugi wouldn't openly admit to, it was possible to see other sides to the dark spirit.

"Then there's Bakura-sama," Solitaire continued," He's not someone that you want to cross. He's known for being very meticulous when it comes to planning out his revenge against anyone that pisses him off. When he's not torturing someone, he's usually off plotting to steal some ancient relic to add to his collection."

"Collection?" asked Jou.

"Yeah. Bakura-sama is known for having one of the most extensive collections of gold and artifacts in the Shadow Realm. Most of it he's supposed to have stored away for his own power, but there are rumors that say he uses the jewelry to make gifts for his hikari, Ryou-sama," Solitaire answered.

"Any particular reason why he steals so much or it one of those yami things?" Honda said.

"Bakura-sama probably just does it because he likes the challenge. A lot of the things that he has were stolen from the deeper portions and tombs of the Shadow Realm where even yamis have to be careful. Things like that always seem to catch his interest. I guess that's why he's sometimes known as the Tomb Robber to those that don't dare name him out loud," Solitaire replied.

"The guy has all that power and he spends his free time as a thief? You have got to be kidding me," Honda snorted.

"Hey, I said that's just what he's like. I never said that I understood why he did it," Solitaire insisted.

"Okay, okay. So we have a Yami and a Bakura. So who's left?" Jou sighed.

"That would be the worst of the bunch, Marik-sama. I'm not really sure if you want to hear about him that much. He's not exactly the most…pleasant person to learn about, even for a yami," Solitaire replied warily.

"Oh come on. If Yami just has a temper and Bakura likes to spend his free time stealing things, how bad can he be?" Anzu said.

"Try being a complete psychotic maniac. I just said that out of all the yamis, Marik-sama is the craziest. Anything can set him off, which is why it's a good idea to keep as far away from him as possible. Even the other yamis know that. In fact, the only person that doesn't have to worry about setting him off is Malik-sama and that's only because that's his hikari," Solitaire snorted.

Her tone was one of absolute seriousness. Enough so that the humans sat at absolute attention as she spoke. This yami was obviously different from the rest if he had Solitaire acting so nervously just by speaking about him. Just how different had yet to be discovered as Solitaire seemed to be getting more nervous the more she thought about it.

"I've heard stories about him that make my scales curl. Things that we adult Monsters won't even say in front of someone who hasn't even seen their first century of life. All done because they did something that he considered an insult to himself, his power, or his hikari," Solitaire shuddered.

Her tail curled tightly against her side with a spinal crest that was flattened firmly long her back and her claws started to clench through the couch fabric as she continued to speak. The grip that she was starting to use was so strong that it was starting to cut through the fabric. Jou almost started to scold her about that but a look from his friends stopped. Even with the damage, it was obviously not the right time to bother with things like that. Solitaire didn't even seem to know what she was doing.

"You okay, Solitaire?" Anzu asked gently.

"Yeah," Solitaire said, breathing in deeply to calm herself," Yeah, I'm okay. Just getting a little out of it. Marik-sama is just one of the few things in the Shadow Realm that I actually fear. I saw some of the stuff that he can do once and it just makes me nervous every time that I think about it."

"Hey, no big deal. We're all afraid of something," Jou replied.

"Yeah, I guess so," Solitaire nodded.

The conversation lagged away from the topic of yamis and the Shadow Realm after that. For the rest of the afternoon, they compared notes on what they would spend the next week doing when they got together. Among which was how to fix the couch arm without Kaiba noticing that anything was wrong.

A/N: Well, here it is. I hope that the length and content make up for the lack of update. Also if anyone was offended by the inside jokes that I threw in, I apologize. That was just for a friend who needed a laugh from a bad week. If you're reading this DK, then I hope that it worked for you. Plus the things that I put in about Yami Marik were not meant to be bashing. Next to Yugi, he's my favorite character from the Yu-gi-oh! series. I just wanted to something in there about him that would make Solitaire quiver for once. That way I get to put in my version of him and it shows that there's indeed that the spunky little dragon is afraid of. Well I promise to try and update faster this time around. I have at least half the chapter done already. Since school will be letting out in a few weeks, I'll have more time to write then. Until which, thank you all for reading and I hope that everyone enjoyed.


	11. Failed Conspiracies

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 10: Failed Conspiracies

A/N: Well, I thought that since I had spent so much time on Yugi, that maybe it was time to give Yami a little time in the spotlight. So here's the chapter where everyone gets to see what he's been up to while Yugi was on Earth and why he had to go on a trip in the first place. This is where a few things are made a little bit clearer, especially why Yami acted like such a jerk in chapter 2. Also, I have an announcement and a couple of warning to post about this chapter. First, I would like to announce that with this chapter, Light's Sojourn has its 100 page mark. This is by far the longest thing that I have written in years. For the warning, in one part of this it's a little graphic due to a short battle scene, so if there's anyone who finds this gross, I apologize. But it was the only real way I could make the situation more believable. I also haven't had the time that I wanted to look up Bakura's deck so the servants that he will have are limited to what I can remember and a mix of what I've seen in my manga collection. It's a little unorthodox, but since this is a fanfiction, I think it's all right. So without further ado, let's get the story started.

Time passed differently for the inhabitants of the Shadow Realm than it did for the creatures of Earth. What could be several weeks spent in one place was no more than the span of a few days in another. Which was the way that things had passed for Yami since he and his chosen servants had left the palace to journey across the Shadow Realm to the domain of Bakura. For him, he had only tried to make contact with Yugi little more than the equivalent of two days. Quite a difference when the hikari had been on Earth for nearly five weeks and counting.

Even with the major and certainly unknown difference in the time period that they had spent apart, it did not feel that way to Yami. For him, any time spent away from his hikari under the present circumstances was far too long. He had not spent any time with Yugi for several days already and that had left him craving for the company of his lover both mentally and physically. Yet that had been denied to him since Yugi had chosen to separate himself from his dark half until things between them were resolved.

And just when that would be was unknown even to Yami. He had always known that Yugi could be stubborn when he wanted to be but he never would have thought that the hikari would go to such lengths to prove a point. The most that Yugi had ever remained mad at him was for a few days. By the time that span was up, either Yami had found a way to work his way back into his lover's good graces or Yugi had decided that there was no reason to stay angry anymore. When that happened, then they were able to work passed the problem enough to where it was like it had never even occurred.

Deep inside, Yami had come to realize that that wouldn't be the case this time around. Now it would take a lot more than the usual tactics to win back Yugi or hoping that the hikari would come around on his own. It was going to take something extra special on Yami's part to be able to be with his lover again. The problem was that even after all this time, he still had no idea on just how to do that. After all, it wasn't like he could just force Yugi to speak with him. That would just make the hikari even madder than before and drive him away again.

So for the entire journey, Yami did what he had been doing since Yugi had walked out on him. Other than planning for the reason behind the journey itself, he had been wracking his brain in order to think of some way to overcome what had happened. So far with his attention having to be divided, Yami hadn't been able to think of anything decent. At least nothing that wouldn't have him getting on his knees and practically begging for his lover's forgiveness. Which he was really prepared to do if that was what it came to. He might have had his pride, but there were things that Yami was willing to sacrifice in order to see Yugi smile again.

That was something that he was going to have to wait to accomplish though. What came first at the moment was the reason behind the journey in the first place. After leaving his own territory, Yugi and a group of his most trusted Monsters had journeyed to the realm of another dark spirit named Bakura. He was a pale haired creature that was known as being vengeful as he was cunning. No one dared to cross if they valued their lives and of those that did, no one save another yami ever lived to tell of the encounter.

Until recently, that had been the reputation that Bakura had been able to claim for himself since time immemorial. Recently though, someone had managed to get on Bakura's bad side and had actually managed to live without even being caught. This was something that was unheard of by any who knew of Bakura personally or by reputation. It was an occurrence which literally had the dark spirit seeing red and not just because the perpetrators had managed to get away despite the measure that he took in order to ensure that violators didn't escape.

What really had Bakura seeing red was that those who had crossed him were a group of thieves. Their origin was unknown but their intent had been quite clear. For they were thieves who had dared to attempt to steal the thing that was most precious to Bakura, which was none other than his hikari Ryou. The attempt had been made while Bakura was away on yet another one of his forays into the deeper regions of the Shadow Realm. When he had left, Bakura had not been expecting anything to go wrong. After all, it was something that he had done countless times in the past. During which he had always left his hikari safe behind walls of traps as a defense and Monster servants who were more than willing to give their lives for one of their Masters.

So it was quite a shock for Bakura when just as he was about to figure out how to get the prize that he was after, a bolt of fear shot through to him via the link as Ryou cried to him for help. The instant he felt it, Bakura forgot about getting the treasure and started speeding towards home again. It was incoherent at first since the cry for help that Ryou had sent him was garbled by the intense fear and confusion that he was feeling at the moment. All that Bakura could make of it was that his hikari was in trouble. So much so that he needed his dark lover then and there before something happened to him.

Bakura wasted no time. Without even bothering to get his servants, he had teleported back to the palace in instant. Due to the distance and spells that he had put around them, he was unable to travel directly to their personal chambers. It was a sometimes an annoying but necessary precaution that he had made in order to make sure that no one could teleport Ryou out without his knowledge. But he was able to get close enough that Bakura could see the damage that had been done to the traps that were placed along the corridor to those rooms.

Normally, only he and those that served under him would know where the traps were. The former because he was the one who had placed them to begin with, while the second needed to know so for their own safety. Just because they had the knowledge however, did not mean that the servants always knew how to get passed them unharmed. Only the most trusted of Bakura's Monster servants were allowed that knowledge and only when they were caring for Ryou's needs.

Yet when he saw the state of the traps as he sped down the corridor, it was obvious that someone had done their homework on Bakura's tactics. All the traps along the corridor had been tripped. It had been done in a painstaking fashion, as was obvious by the lack of several blood splatters that should have been covering the walls. There was some blood scattered on the floor from where someone had not been cautious enough and had ended up with severe cuts from the blades that hung from the ceiling.

The blood ended just before the chamber doors that had been nearly blasted off the hinges. Outside the doors were several of his servants, some badly injured from what was obviously a battle and others growling and snarling as they hurried to tend to the wounded. All of these were details that Bakura ignored as he sped into the chamber himself, pushing passed the injured and working. The sight that he was greeted by was one that had literally made Bakura see red.

Like the chamber doors, the rooms themselves had literally been torn apart. By powerful magic, as Bakura feel as he moved further into the room. Not as powerful as shadow magic but strong to know that it would be something to be wary of later should it be encountered again. But that didn't matter now. No, none of what was happening around him mattered. What mattered was the sight that lay before him under the protective wing of Change of Heart.

It was his own hikari, Ryou, bleeding and confused as he sobbed into the robes of Change of Heart while one of the Zorc Arm Dragons hovered nearby. Change of Heart kept her white wing wrapped tightly around the hikari who was making no attempt to hide what he was feeling. Bakura could feel it all through their link as it was more than wide open on both ends. From this he knew that someone had blasted the doors open while Ryou had been preparing to eat the meal that had been brought in. The blast had been strong enough to knock Ryou across the room, who had immediately called out for Bakura through their link.

While Bakura had responded, the Monsters nearest to the room came to investigate the strange magical energies that they had felt gathering in that area. What they found were creatures unlike anything that they had ever encountered before. At first glance, several of the creatures appeared to have no physical form. Instead they looked to be wisps of colored smoke that floated towards a dazed Ryou. But if one were to look close enough, they would see that this was merely an illusion caused by the light dancing off the creatures' skin. It was merely a camouflage to fool enemies like they were trying now.

One of the creatures present however, most certainly was as solid as it appeared from where it stood guarding the charred and open chamber doors. The beast was most definitely of a species that none of the Shadow Realm inhabitants had ever encountered before. It stood nearly 10 feet in height, almost too large to fit through the chamber doors that had been blasted into oblivion. Dark green scales covered the parts of the body that were not covered in a thick armor that was colored gold and black. Two crimson eyes stared out from beneath a helm of similar coloration as a lion-like tail lashed in annoyance. In its two clawed hands, it held a great battle axe that crackled with the same energies that had blown the doors apart.

Here and there, a few splashes of blood could be seen dripping from the open areas of scales. A few minor cuts and one deep gash were the source of the red that flowed from the creature's body. There was no doubt for the Monsters present as to just how those wounds had been caused. They had seen the traps that had been tripped in the corridor during their rush to protect their hikari master. This had been the one who had seen to finding the traps Bakura had laid out so that the smoke-like creatures would not have to face the peril.

Upon seeing its oncoming opponents, the creature roared once and took on a battle stance. Behind it, the remainder of the invaders paid no heed. Their attention was solely upon the hikari who had finally come out of his daze. Ryou watched as the creatures approached, their intention evident to him just by watching the grim desires that danced in their pale eyes when he could see them. Fear gripped him as he stared into those eyes, leaving Ryou paralyzed with a sense of fear that he had never known before. So much so that he didn't even try to use his own magic to protect himself. As he would later describe it to Bakura, it was like he had been put into a fear induced trance.

He was partially aware of what was going on, but not enough for him to act. All he could do was sit there as the creatures made their approach. They most likely would have had him if the Zorc Arm Dragon hadn't interceded by swooping into the room. He had taken flight over the one guarding the broken doorway while the other servants finally started to battle with it. Even with the armored creature distracted though, it was a tight fit for the Zorc Arm Dragon to actually make it into the room. Only when the others had lured it away enough was he able to get inside.

With a shriek of rage as he squeezed into the room, the Dragon placed itself between Ryou and the strangers with a flurry of slashing claws and teeth. At the appearance of the Dragon, the supposed smoke creatures stopped briefly. They floated where they were for a moment, watching the Dragon as he roared again and placed himself more firmly to keep them from their prey. Their eyes flashed angrily as they hissed in reply to the challenging roars that the Zorc Arm Dragon gave to them. One even dared to come within striking distance, paying for its mistake with its life as the Dragon's claws ripped through it.

The impact of the blow brought about surprising results. Though the Dragon did manage to tear a huge chunk of flesh and bone from his target, what fell away did not remain. Instead, almost as soon as it was separated from the body, the torn flesh turned into a lump of ash. Ash which disintegrated into nothingness as soon as it hit the chamber floor as dragon and hikari watched. They continued to watch as the rest of the creature followed in a similar pattern. Beginning in the wounded area, a line of ash began to creep along the body of the creature. It let out a protesting wail as this happening, unable to stop the approach as its body soon faded into dust.

Upon seeing the fate of their comrade, the rest of the smoke creatures seemed to reach the conclusion that their prey was out of reach for the moment. They made no further efforts to push forward with their assault. Instead they backed away from the still snarling Zorc Arm Dragon and a stunned Ryou as they prepared a retreat. One which was never allowed as that the rest of the servants released a combined blast of their magic to disintegrate the remaining smoke creatures. Like their comrade, they immediately turned to ash as soon as any part of their bodies was torn away.

The same could not be said of the armored beast that the servants had had to force their way past. Though the battle against it had been brief, it had been brutal. One group of the servant and warrior Monsters had lured it away while the rest had seen to the smoke creatures. Many had been injured before the armored creature was finally stabbed in the one opening in its armor that Change of Heart had managed to find. The dual personality Monster had made no hesitation when she had seen the small slit at the base of its neck and had used a discarded sword to cut right through the spinal cord.

As soon as the bone was snapped in two, the beast let out a snarling roar of pain as it dropped its battle ax and collapsed to the ground. It attempted to thrash about but was unable to move its heavy limbs without the necessary connection. So the most that it could do was continue to voice its outrage at being defeated before finally falling silent under the heated and angered gaze of the Monsters. Once it had, the beast's body did not disappear as its companions did. Where those turned to ash, this one simply melted away until it was nothing more than a puddle of red goo which soon evaporated into nothing.

Shortly after that, Bakura had arrived and that was where things had gone from. While the servants tended to the wounded or sent out warriors to search for any more intruders, he turned his attention to Ryou. Without hesitation, Bakura had scooped up his hikari and taken him out of the chamber to the healing spring that lay buried in the depths of his palace. There, he himself attended to Ryou's wounds as he swore over and over again that nothing like that would ever happen to his lover again. Bakura promised that he would find those that had hurt his cherished one and make them pay dearly.

Which was why, as soon as he was certain that Ryou was physically healed, that he sent word to the other yamis, Marik and Yami. It was a dual message. One part was a warning to be on guard of their own hikaris, to never leave them without some sort of Monster escort. While the other was an invitation to come to his territory once he had sufficiently investigated the matter. When he had something tangible to present, he would send for them. That search had proved fruitless, as none of the attackers remained. Nonetheless, Yami and Marik eventually came so that they could discuss the problem more thoroughly in hopes of coming up with a counter offensive against further attacks.

"They were fools to believe that anyone could get passed my defenses without a fight," Bakura snarled after the discussion had gone on for some time.

The two seated across from him said nothing. They knew better than to say anything when their fellow yami was in an agitated state. Even if what they said was not meant to be offensive in nature, it wouldn't be that hard for Bakura to take it as such with the state of mind he was presently in. Something that both Yami and Marik could easily understand, as they had had similar moments in their own pasts. Especially when it came to the subject of why Bakura was so upset, the attempted kidnapping of his hikari, Ryou.

For his part, Bakura was grateful for the space that Yami and Marik were giving him. Not that he would say anything to them about that. He did have what remained of his reputation of being a sadistic creature to think about and that was not something that he was going to risk by having his fellow dark spirits think he had gone soft. So he kept his comment to himself and revealed only the agitation that was readily flowing through him.

Another felt both emotions though and Bakura knew who that was without trying as he could feel that one's emotions with ease. He could feel his hikari's soul squirm uneasily within the Ring-like relic that he always wore around his neck, but there was no big surprise to that happening. Ryou was always uncomfortable when he felt his partner's anger on the rise and there was nothing that he could do to help cool it again. It was made worse by the fact that he was now held deep within the safety of the Ring until Bakura was ready to release him.

Which, more than likely, would not be any time soon. The attempted capture of his hikari had set Bakura on full alert and he was now taking the most extreme measures that he knew to ensure that it wouldn't happen again. So, as the most effective protection he could muster, Bakura had placed Ryou's soul and body deep within the confines of his Ring. An artifact that Bakura was known to carry with him at all times and never removed.

Once he was settled there, then only a fool would risk trying to take hikari and Ring from the one who carried them. Out of all his forces, Bakura's worst weapon was by far himself and when unleashed, there was never a hope for his opponent's sanity or soul surviving unscathed. Having one of the most twisted minds in the Shadow Realm, Bakura would delight in slowly torturing anyone who came against him until nothing but a shell remained.

Right now though, as much as the thought would bring a morbid joy to him, the pleasures of torture were far removed from Bakura's mind. Now, his attention was divided between conversing with the two other yamis and his hikari. The former only had enough of his attention where Bakura could voice an opinion or a concern, while the latter had more than enough where it soothed some of the fear being expressed.

_ Shush, little hikari _ he murmured through their link_, You don't need to make a fuss anymore. The ones who tried to steal you from me are gone and you are where you belong. _

His only response was a burst of fear and defiance that spread through the link like wildfire. Ryou was still too upset to give a more coherent response. Which was a totally alien behavior for him in Bakura's eyes, as he was so used to his hikari being a shy and levelheaded individual. It was almost beyond him on how to return Ryou to his normal behavior while he was in such a fit. But he tried nonetheless and was constantly muttering as many reassurances to his lover that he could muster.

_ Come now, little hikari. Are you really that afraid? _ Bakura coaxed, _ You needn't be. You know that I will destroy anyone who dares to lay a finger on what is mine. Haven't I always done that in the past when some fool dared to insult or threaten you? _

He felt an uneasy affirmation come from his hikari but no other mental responses. Silently, Bakura sent as much assurance through their link as he possibly could to see if it might make any difference. He already knew that it would do little good at this point though, since Ryou was still refusing to calm down after what had occurred. He was still convinced that the strange creatures would return again and try to take him away from Bakura. Like any hikari, that was the one thing that he feared more than anything else and often showed his greatest distress when the matter arose.

_ There is no reason for you to fear that anyone will take you from me, little hikari. I've already made sure of that by keeping you under my complete protection _ Bakura said.

Ryou sent a wordless reply of gratitude followed by another burst of fear. He was glad that Bakura was there to protect him and he was grateful for everything that the dark one did for him. Still, he couldn't shake the fear that had been nagging at him ever since the strangers had made their presence known. He didn't know what, but he knew that something disastrous was going to happen and soon.

Bakura knew better than to take such a thing lightly. Like the other yamis, he knew that the ill feelings of a hikari were often a path leading to the nearby future. The exact cause and effect of said feelings were never really known until the event occurred since there was no real way to pinpoint when something would take place. As such, it was always a good idea to take as many precautions as possible until the danger had passed. In that way, they might be able to minimize any damage that occurred.

That in itself might have been considered strange when put into association with the dark spirits. As creatures born of shadows, it was in their nature to often desire the destruction of something. Not out of mindless or calculated cruelty though, even if it seemed that way to those on the receiving end. No, the kind of destruction that yamis most often craved was the kind on a wide scale that was the signal that ended one thing and then allowed the beginning of another. For just as the yamis desired destruction, so did the hikaris welcome the onset of creation.

This was again due to the balance of things. Yamis knew that just as there must be creation and destruction in order for life to exist, so must there be a time and a place for such things. It was a given that such things were impossible to schedule as if it were part of an entertainment event. No, the time that such things ever came to be was when the fates deigned them to occur. And when they did, these were events that were bound to bring great change whenever or wherever they happened. So it was something that they tried to be ready for when possible.

For the moment though, Bakura would have been satisfied just getting Ryou calmed down enough where he wasn't in a complete panic. If he could at least manage that, then it would make things easier later on. There was only one real way that he would be able to accomplish that, as he finally realized. That would involved invoking a power he had over Ryou that he didn't often employ in consideration for his lover, but one that he knew was necessary now. It would just have to be sweetened with something that he knew that they would both enjoy later on.

_ If you behave yourself, little hikari, I'll show you later when we're alone _ Bakura promise huskily.

He could literally feel his hikari blush at that comment. Bakura grinned to himself, knowing that that would do the trick. Just like any other hikari, it was easy to embarrass his by promising an intimate encounter. There was no denying that they enjoyed the results of such things, but that didn't keep the innocence within from being shy about it. The reaction also gave Bakura the opening that he needed in order to employ the tactic that he had decided upon.

_ That's better. Now go to sleep, my Ryou. You're not helping yourself by wasting your strength _ Bakura ordered.

He sent soothing waves of calm to help enforce the command, making sure that his hikari didn't have a chance to protest too much. Ryou did try of course, there was no doubt about that. But against the power coming from his yami's end of the link and the exhaustion that was already plaguing him, it wasn't much of a fight. Soon he was lost in a deep slumber that nothing would penetrate for some time. Which suited Bakura just fine, as the one thing that he hated more than someone attempting to steal his property was to see his hikari left in such a dismal state.

Bakura kept his full attention locked on Ryou for a bit longer just to be assured that his hikari was asleep before shutting off the majority of their link. He kept enough open that he would be able to feel any changes in his hikari from the back of his mind. If there was anything that even slightly seemed to be upsetting his dreams, no matter how minute, he would know in an instant. Then he would act in a heartbeat to banish whatever dared to plague his lover.

Sitting across from him, the other two yamis watched Bakura's divided attention with knowingly. They knew that even if he had been the one to initiate the invitation, that he had other things on his mind than just handling the meeting. It was always that way when it came to dealing with one's hikari. Whenever one was upset or afraid about something, hikaris tended to need a lot of attention and coaxing from their yami in order to calm them down again. It was a delicate process that could often take a lot of time and which couldn't be ignored, even when there were other matters to deal with.

This time it would be exceptionally hard for Bakura to completely calm down his hikari and return him to his normal state of mind. Even though he was asleep for now, there would come a time when Ryou would need to be comforted. And when Ryou wanted to be comforted for any serious reason, he wasn't afraid to let Bakura know. It was one of the few times that he actually seemed fiercer than his darker counterpart. A fact which made Bakura ready to give his lover exactly what he wanted without fuss, even though he would have done as much given the circumstances.

But then, that was actually how most hikaris could be when they really wanted something. Though they might be mild tempered in comparison with their dark lovers, there were those times when even a hikari could make a yami quiver in shock or fear. Thankfully, those times were few and far between, so it wasn't a constant worry for a yami to be concerned about. Instead, a dark spirit could focus his attention upon making sure that his hikari was safe and that anyone who dared to harm their hikari was punished accordingly. And that was the situation that Bakura now found himself in, with Yami and Marik looking on with complete understanding.

Knowing that the attackers were still unknown and at large, Yami was more than glad that he had left his own hikari safely within his palace. He knew that as long as Yugi was there, then there was no chance of someone attempting to kidnap him as the strangers had tried to do with Ryou. His defenses might not have been as extensive as Bakura's or sadistic as Marik's, but Yami's were far more powerful and there were more than enough Monsters under his command to handle any threats. Otherwise, he would not have dared to leave Yugi alone. Yami would have been at his side permanently, making sure that nothing even remotely dangerous came near his little one.

Still, watching Bakura trying to soothe his hikari, Yami couldn't help but feel a longing for his own. It was impossible to reach him through their link since Yugi was still blocking his end, so any mental touches were out of the question. No, the only thing that would satisfy Yami's desire was to see his hikari in person. To feel him with his own two hands and to know that he was still a tangible presence in this world.

Getting to that goal was not an easy thing to accomplish however, given the reason for this meeting. When one yami both openly invited and allowed his fellow dark spirits into his realm without wanting to fight, then it was not something to be ignored. That was simply because most of the time, yamis kept to themselves. Though they showed different levels of control, there was no doubt that each one was secretive and very possessive of the power and territory that had been amassed under each rule. And in the presence of other yamis, one always felt a threat to what had been gathered. So in order to prevent unnecessary confrontation, each one usually kept his distance and remained in his own territory.

The only times they ever met openly with one another was either when two or more had planned a ritual duel or to have a meeting like the present one. For the duels, it was often just a display to help resolve any conflicts that there might be over new territory, artifacts, or newly discovered magic. Actual battle hasn't occurred since the early days when each of the yamis had first been created and were beginning to establish themselves in the Shadow Realm. Then things had been gory and often with considerable injury to both victor and loser.

Over time, the battles had evolved into something different to cut down on the injuries. It was not done out of the fact that the yamis had any concern for one another. That sort of thing would have been too farfetched under any circumstances. It was only done to help maintain some sort of order in the realm that they called home. Even if they didn't like one another, the yamis all knew that their presence was needed in the Shadow Realm or they would not have been created. They were the protectors of that realm after all and they had to be willing to do what it took to uphold that duty.

So now their battles were contests of skill and strategy over brute force and sheer power. The battles were chosen to take place on neutral ground so that neither side would have the advantage. Then each combatant would either select a representative from their ranks or do battle themselves. If it was the former, it was most often one of their most trusted soldiers. For there were few honors that were greater than being chosen by one's master to be their champion in the arena. For the latter, it simply because the yamis wanted to test out their own skills against each other rather than rely upon another. In either case, the battle would be settled under a strict set of rules that allowed no deviation under any circumstances. If anyone did so, then they were automatically the loser of the contest.

Since no yami wanted to be considered a loser under those circumstances, there were few if any instances when deviations occurred. Surprisingly, though each yami could be underhanded when they wanted to be, they followed the rules almost to the letter. That didn't stop them from teasing one another outside of battle however. As Marik proved as he watched Yami begin to look uncomfortable as he considered that what happened to Ryou could have happened to Yugi and how much he missed the little one at the moment.

"Getting a little antsy then, are you?" Marik smirked.

Yami glared at him. He already knew that the others were starting to sense his discomfort, even if they didn't know the exact cause. Now that he knew of it, Marik at least was going to make sport of it while he could. That was something that always occurred whenever one of the yamis was on edge. Though not linked mentally the way that they were to their respective hikaris, yamis had a way of knowing what their fellow dark spirits were feeling. And like anyone with a twisted sense of humor, they were bound to play on it when the opportunity arose.

Sometimes, the target might take the teasing lightly. As in, he wouldn't attempt to beat whoever had just insulted him into a bloody pulp. Instead, he might make a few mentions of his own from previous dealings that could be considered blackmail. This was usually enough to get the offender to lay off for a time, as none of the dark spirits liked to have their past mistakes dredged up. But that only lasted so long as the offender did not have more information of their own that they were willing to use. If that was the case, then it could easily be said that it would take quite some time to settle the matter.

For the moment, Yami was not in the mood to do any sort of battle with Marik. What mattered to him right now was seeing to Yugi. It had been far too long since he had been in personal contact with his hikari, as well as leaving his territory without his guidance. Though there was no true danger with his servants acting under his strict orders, Yami had had enough. He had come for what he had been asked to do by Bakura and it was obvious that these discussions were getting them nowhere. All that the yamis could agree on was to be alert and prepared for whatever came next. They also agreed to a temporary alliance until this matter was resolved. If any of them found out something new about the attackers, then they would inform the other immediately.

"It's none of your concern, Marik," Yami replied coldly as he got to his feet," Thank you for your hospitality Bakura, but I must bid you both farewell. I've been away from my own territory long enough."

He then rose to his feet without another word and turned towards the door. Following insynch with their Master, the Dark Magician and Silver Fang followed in his footsteps as he departed. Like the other two pairs of servants also present in the room, they had been there since the beginning. It had been their task to stay with their Masters while the meeting had been taking place. Not so much as protection for the yamis, but as a formality. It was another protocol that had been worked out over the millennia that yamis were allowed their own servants to be present in case of emergencies.

As the three left, neither Bakura nor Marik made any objections. It was no mystery to them what their fellow yami was really concerned about. With all the talk of about attempting hikari snatchings and the perpetrators still being on the loose, they knew that he wanted to return home to check up on his light. Both would have done the same if they had left their hikaris alone during such a time period. It was a given that their first instinct was to always protect their lighter half, no matter what the circumstances.

They also knew well enough that Yami preferred not to travel with his hikari very much, thanks to the dangers that often arose in their world even under normal circumstances. Neither one of them could really blame him for that, as they both felt the same way about their own hikaris. The difference was that they didn't show it as openly as they felt that Yami did on many occasions. They knew how to shield their emotions on that matter, saving it for other occasions. Such as when they were alone with their hikaris and could more properly express themselves without having to worry about losing face with anyone. For if there was one thing that yamis hated besides someone trying to steal their hikaris, it was to lose the image of dark power and strength.

After all, it wouldn't do for the most powerful creatures of the Shadow Realm to appear weak. It would just be a hindrance when it came to maintaining order and control in their territories. If others believed that they were weak, then they would also come to the conclusion that the yami was incapable of protecting what he ruled over. Thus it would make easy target for conquest. So the best way to overcome that was to know when and where to show emotion. Whether it was smiling down at a whimpering hikari who was begging for more attention or scowling down at a defeated enemy about to meet their end.

A/N: Well, I'm sorry to say that this chapter will probably be the only real appearance made by Ryou, Yami Bakura, Malik, and Marik. I know they didn't have a lot of time in this story but that can't be helped. Their role in this story was mostly one of the many catalysts that I have planned to get the story down to its climax. So if there are any fans out there who wanted them to be in here longer, sorry. If anyone flames me for that, I'll just use them to make BBQ tuna fish for Icarus and Yami Neko. Also I know that Change of Heart isn't a monster, but since it was such a big deal during Duelist Kingdom, I decided to make it an actual creature. Not the first time it's been done in the Yu-gi-oh fandom and it won't be the last. I just decided to use it like that just this once.


	12. Heartbroken Darkness

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 11: Heartbroken Darkness

A/N: Here it is. The chapter that everyone's been waiting for. Now you really get to see the fur fly as Yami finds out what happened to Yugi. I won't give too many details since it's better to read it for yourselves, but I don't think that anyone is going to be disappointed. There should be enough violence to go around. If not, then just wait till later in the story. I can promise that Yami will be positively berserk on more than one occasion.

There was only one way to describe Yami at present. He was a complete wreck. His mind was constantly abuzz with all that he had learned and what effects it might have in the long run. As a result, the journey home was short but it had not been an easy one for Yami. Over and over again he kept wanting to reach through the link and feel the mental touch of his hikari but knew that it wouldn't be there. Like it had been for the last few days, the link was still tightly closed and nothing was seeping through from either end. The best that he could feel was a blank void in the back of his mind that Yugi's presence normally occupied. It was an emptiness that he had grown used to over the last several days but not one that he found comforting.

The only real comfort that he would ever find again was when Yugi was back in his arms once more. Only then, when he had both his Yugi and the hikari's forgiveness, would he be able to relax. Then he would be able to focus more easily on the problem at hand. He would then be able to come up with a way that he could at least partially explain what was happening to Yugi. Not so much that it would irreparable harm was done to the hikari's psyche but enough so that he would understand why Yami had acted the way that he had. In that way, things would go more smoothly until the strangers were finally caught and interrogated.

When that came about, it was already unspoken that if the offenders were caught by either Yami or Marik then they were only allowed to keep them for a short time. Any real punishment that would be doled out to them would be given by Bakura alone. As it was his hikari that had been attacked, then he had first claim to exacting revenge. That was how it had always been among the dark spirits. It was one of the few things that they readily agreed on without having to make a discussion about it or without argument.

As he and the others were greeted by the guards who were stationed at the transportation platform, Yami's mind did not care about these things. He was becoming more and more focused towards getting back to Yugi now that he had returned home. It was a feeling that intensified at the thought of Yugi even being remotely close by. So he ignored what was said to him by the servants and quickly left the chamber to return to the ones that Yugi had chosen for himself.

Just as he had done with the servants in the transportation chamber, Yami paid no heed to the ones that he encountered as he made his way down the various corridors. Most watched him with surprised as they could easily sense the tension that was rising in their master. It was not something that they were used to seeing in him, even though he did not outwardly show it. The most of what the servants sensed was more on an empathic level that was more easily sensed than normal because of the intensity that Yami was pushing it out. Which was not normal, as Yami always kept his emotions in check under mental barriers that were only released around Yugi.

For any of them to be able to feel his distress told the servants and guards that something was wrong. And when something was wrong with their master, every Monster knew that there was only one way to deal with it. Unless Yami actually volunteered something or reacted in some way, he was best left alone. In that way, no one would draw any unnecessary attention to themselves and give Yami an excuse to lash out. It was a reaction that had kept many from coming to undue harm in the past and right now, that probably applied as well.

Yet without even asking, no one really needed to ask what was bothering Yami. They all knew that it was about Yugi. The two had not parted on the best of terms and that was bound to be something that would carry over with Yami's return. The only thing that anyone could hope for was that the dark spirit would be able to coax his lover into speaking with again. Then perhaps they might be able to work out either a compromise or just resolve the situation entirely. But that remained to be seen, as Yugi's recent behavior was not something that anyone had been prepared for.

For his part, Yami was already going over in his head what he would say to Yugi. It was a process that left him coming up with more prattle than anything that was actually useful. He couldn't help feeling that nothing he had to say would be good enough for Yugi. Given how much he had hurt the little one with his words, Yami knew that he was going to have to put every ounce of sincerity that he had into his words to be able to even get Yugi to listen. It was just finding the right words to go along with these feelings that kept getting him as well the reason why he had said those things in the first place.

He had known from the beginning that leaving Yugi safely at home was for the best, even if their parting had not been under the best of circumstances. The separation was beginning to wear on Yami emotionally though. It wasn't the first time that his hikari had blocked their link, but it was certainly the longest. Usually when Yugi was angry with Yami, he would only keep the mental barrier up until his forgiving nature would start to take over. Then the wall would drop and he would allow his yami back with open arms. That was when the real fun would begin.

Yami was never one to show a great deal of emotion to others, since it would just give away any weaknesses that might be there. The only one he ever made an exception for was Yugi himself. With his hikari, Yami knew that it didn't matter what weaknesses he might have since Yugi already knew everything about him. They were two halves of the whole and there was nothing that they needed to hide from one another when it came to either personality or fears.

Other things could be hidden when necessary. Such as private thoughts about things that neither lover wished to discuss with anyone, even each other. This normally occurred more often when it was something that Yami had discovered instead of the other way around. Yami was always the more protective of the pair and felt that there was just a great deal that Yugi was better off not knowing. For Yugi, he had always been one who felt that if someone learned of something unpleasant or disturbing, then it was better to comfort them and try to soothe the problem if possible.

Of course, it was within Yugi's nature to seek out a solution like that. Yami knew this and it was something that was valued in all hikaris. It was just something that didn't always work, as yamis knew all too well. More often then not, there were times when a more direct and violent tactic had to be taken when problems arose. And when that was the case, it was better to let someone who was used to dealing in such ways handle the situation rather than another who was not.

Yami was all too aware of this and it was that which had partially gotten him into trouble with Yugi to begin with. In his desire to protect Yugi and handle things his own way, he had acted too rashly in what he had said to the hikari. So as he finally came to stop in front of the chamber doors, Yami continued to rack his brain in an attempt to best put forth the problem without getting Yugi involved. He stood there for a moment, trying to steel himself against what he knew was about to come. Even now Yami had no idea of what he should say or do, but he also knew that it was wrong to put it off any longer.

A barrier stood between him and the hikari that he now sought. Not only the doors themselves, but also a magical one that Yugi had put up. It was made entirely of light magic and was invisible to the naked eye. Anyone who had an ounce of magical ability would have been able to sense it nonetheless. The barrier itself was not the strongest that the hikari was capable of producing, though it was strong enough to make its message clear. The barrier had been placed around the door in an effort to say that Yugi wished to be left alone. If anyone tried to interrupt that privacy, he would feel the disturbance in the barrier and know that there was an intruder.

It was enough to keep the servants out, who knew that when the barrier went up it was one of those times when Yugi was best left alone. He did not set them up often, so when he did then there was a good reason. So they respected it and left their little master be for as long as he wished. Despite how long a barrier might be present, no one was too concerned. It was common knowledge that as long as a barrier created by a hikari remained in place, then that hikari was safe and well. For as long as the magic of a hikari was there, then it was a signal that his powers were still strong and healthy.

Though it might have been a deterrent for the servants, it was not one for Yami. He would respect his hikari's privacy, but now was not the time for that. Right now, he needed to speak with Yugi and immediately. Despite the barrier, Yami entered the chamber without any trouble, which wasn't very surprising. What magic Yugi had in the way of defenses was enough for minor to moderate situations, but it could never keep Yami away from the little hikari. His magic had always been the stronger of the two when it came to brute strength and could overcome it at times, though never completely. To a degree, hikari magic had its own strength against shadow magic. On many occasions, it was able to neutralize shadow magic enough where its effects were entirely voided. Though in this case, it was shadow magic which had dispelled light magic when Yami had pressed a hand to it.

"Yugi? Hikari, I'm back," Yami announced as he entered.

He stood there in the doorway, waiting for an answer. At first, Yami wasn't really certain that he would get any. It was hard to tell how badly but he knew that he had hurt his lover with the words spoken before his departure. No matter how well he might hide it, Yugi never took very well to either insult or cruelty from anyone. When he experienced it, the hurt he always felt caused him to withdraw from everyone around him, sometimes even Yami. A withdrawal that could take him uncertain amounts of time to recover from, as he had shown recently.

After a few moments of silence though, Yami guessed that maybe he had had hurt Yugi more than he had thought. Even when he was mad, it wasn't like to act like this. If Yami came directly to him and said something, then he would offer some kind of response. It might either be silence with an angry glare, hurt words that could increase Yami's guilt tenfold, or just tears that sliced right through his heart. But never a dead silence where Yugi refused to even come out.

Yami sighed," Hikari mine, if you're still mad at me for what happened, I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean for it to sound like it did. It just came out the wrong way. So please, stop hiding from me and come out so that we can talk about this. Please?"

Yami waited expectedly, as he knew that an apology would at least get Yugi to acknowledge his presence. Yet as the moments dragged on and there was no response, he began to feel more than a little agitated. Since he knew that Yugi was probably still upset, he was willing to be a little indulgent but that only went so far. Now that Yugi continued to give him the silent treatment even after he had offered a sincere apology, well, that was just pushing the limit.

"This isn't funny anymore, aibou. It's time to stop playing and for you to come out. We need to talk about this now," Yami ordered.

Again, silence was the only answer that Yami received. His patience steadily growing thinner, decided that enough was enough. If Yugi was going to continue to ignore him, then he was just going to root the hikari out and make him listen. It might end up making things worse if Yugi was still upset with him, but at this point, Yami really didn't care. All he wanted right now was to be face to face with his hikari and set things straight between them.

So he started searching through every inch of the chambers that Yugi was supposed to be occupying in his absence. Yami looked under all the furniture and cushions just in case Yugi might have hidden under them. He looked in the bedchamber and then out on the balcony that was connected to the single window. There was no sign of Yugi even in the small garden that lay just beneath. It was almost as if he had never been there to begin with.

Panic started to set in as Yami fully realized this. He tried to deny it at first though, trying to tell himself that it was just his imagination. That somewhere in these rooms, his little lover was hiding somewhere and still sulking about their past argument. That was the only reason that Yugi hadn't answered him yet. It wasn't because the hikari was beyond the safety of these rooms. It just couldn't be that.

Another sharp pain suddenly stabbed at Yami's head, causing him to grab hold of a couch arm in order to keep from losing his balance as he continued to deny the inevitable. His vision blurred terribly as he tried to regain his sense of balance and for a moment, the entire world seemed to be in turmoil. It remained so for several moments before Yami finally managed to get back to his senses and momentarily throw off whatever was causing his disorientation.

When he finally regained his composure, the only thing that Yami saw was a thick haze of red. Something was wrong, he could feel that now. Something that he hadn't started to notice until now. That way why he had felt so compelled to return as quickly as he had. His waking mind had not been able to sense what was going on because it had been occupied with the recent problems in the Shadow Realm. For his subconscious however, for his deepest instincts, it was a different story. This part of him had started to sense that there was something going on and it had communicated such by making him feel the desperate need to be with Yugi again. Not to apologize, but because the hikari was no longer where he was supposed to be.

It was the only thing to explain why he was feeling this way and why he was suddenly so overcome with these almost primitive instincts. Instincts that he hadn't felt except for the time just after his and Yugi's creation millennia before. A time when it was necessary for him to rely upon his instincts in order to protect them both from those that would have destroyed them if given a chance. But those had long since faded once reason had set in and it was possible for him to show his dominance to others through strategy and battle prowess.

Now though, those instincts were coming back in full force. It was taking every ounce of will power that Yami had just to hold them back. He could feel as the instincts kept attempting to claw their way to the surface passed the barriers that he had erected in his mind. It brought a pressure to his mind that he had never felt before in his entire existence. A pressure that threatened to drive Yami mad if his instincts didn't first. It was an internal war that part of Yami was left wondering who would win, the instincts or his conscious mind.

As the pressure continued to build, Yami opened his end of the link as wide as he could in a desperate attempt to locate Yugi. Like it had been for the last several days, Yugi's end was still completely blocked off. The only thing that greeted him was a blank void that felt like he was hitting a wall every time he tried to get around it. And no matter how much mental pain that brought Yami, he continued to try and break around that wall. A tactic that he wouldn't do if he were of sound mind but that was really no longer an issue for him. Right now, as his mind warred within itself, all he could truly focus upon was keeping down the haze of rage that threatened to spread and finding Yugi.

And that had to beyond the palace, for now Yami could tell that his lover was no longer in the palace. He hadn't done it at first since he thought that the little one was still safely within his rooms, but now he stretched out his mental senses. With these, he could get a general idea of where Yugi was when the mind link was closed or he was asleep. As he stretched out his sense to the fullest, he could feel no trace of the hikari anywhere. It was a realization that drove Yami out of the room as he ran off to blindly search for Yugi.

Even as he left the room, Yami had already stated to reach through the link again. This time it was not only in trying to find a trace of his hikari but to actually make contact with him. It was the first time that he had really tried to do so since that fateful encounter in the Meeting Hall. The reason that he didn't try to do so beforehand was that he was trying to respect Yugi's privacy and give him a chance to calm down. Now though, he was trying with all his might to break the barrier but was only met with a strong and silent resistance that he had never known in Yugi before.

The resulting search could be described as sporadic at best. It was made by both his distracted attention of attempting to contact Yugi while the instinctual haze was still trying to make its way into the rational portion of Yami's mind. The result was that he just started looking into rooms at random to find some recent trace of his hikari. So far, nothing could be found save for their own personal chambers and the ones that Yugi had recently occupied on his own. Yet neither of his gave any definite clue of where he could be.

It was a fact that was frustrating Yami to no end. An emotion that he eventually took out on the first unfortunate creature to cross his path. That was a Beaver Warrior that happened to be coming down the corridor during a change in shift. He had been warned by some of the others he passed to watch out for their master since he was not in the best of moods. So it was best to keep out of his way until he calmed down again. Beaver Warrior had taken the advice but had not really paid any attention to it. That was a mistake that would cost him dearly as things went downhill the moment he and Yami came face to face.

Grabbing Beaver Warrior by the neck when he was within reach, Yami snarled," What happened to my hikari! Where is he!"

At first, Beaver Warrior was unable to answer his Master. Instead, he was struggling against the hand that held him so that he could find the air that his lungs desperately needed. But the grip remained as hard as steel and tightened the more that Beaver Warrior struggled. Soon the poor creature was on the brink of losing consciousness before someone finally intervened.

"Yami-sama, please!" a voice rang out.

Purely on reaction to the sound, Yami swung his head from the struggling Beaver Warrior to the source. His eyes came to rest on Celtic Guardian. The Monster had been nearby when he was alerted to trouble by the strangled cries of his comrade. At first, the other had thought that the Beaver Warrior had picked fight with Gazelle again. It wouldn't have been the first time that someone had inadvertently angered the King of Mythical King of Beasts without meaning to. Nor would it have been the first time that someone had to come to the rescue of the poor unfortunate.

When he saw the look in Yami's eyes however, Celtic Guardian instantly knew that that wasn't the case. Something else had happened with his master and it was making him act unstable. That much was evident just by the way he had grabbed the unfortunate Monster and still held him by the throat. What had caused this reaction was unknown to Celtic Guardian at the moment. All that he did know was that he had to find some way to calm Yami down before he did something that he regretted later on. It was just finding a way to speak to his Master in a way that wouldn't agitate him into further violence.

"Yami-sama," he started as he slowly began to approach Yami and the struggling Beaver Warrior," Please Master, calm down."

Yami merely glared at Celtic Guardian, his eyes glowing a menacing red that could frighten even the strongest of souls. And Celtic Guardian did back away slightly at the sight of his Master's gaze. Never in all the centuries of service to the dark spirit had he ever seen a look like that. The only thing that had ever come close was on the battlefield when Yami was filled with battle lust and urging his troops into battle. Only then did he seem to be losing even a fraction of the strict control that he held over himself.

In Yami's grasp, Beaver Warrior continued to struggle for breath. The more he did however, the tighter Yami's grip became. Even the sudden appearance of Celtic Guardian did not dissuade this. All did was just draw the dark one's direct attention away from him for the moment. It did not take away Yami's attention entirely or he would have released his prisoner by now. So while the others spoke, Beaver Warrior slowly felt his air supply become less and less.

Soon, his struggles almost ceased completely. Beaver Warrior's eyesight began to grow dim as the air ran out to almost nothing. His situation did not go unnoticed though. Even while he was trying to calm down their Master, Celtic Warrior saw how dire his companion's situation was becoming. He decided to step up his efforts a bit in order to help the other before it became too late. If he didn't, they could very well be short one Beaver Warrior if Yami continued the way he did. That was something, even with all the warriors enlisted in Yami's service, that they could not afford.

"Please Yami-sama. Calm down and tell me what is wrong," Celtic Guardian pleaded.

"I want to know where my hikari is. He was not in those rooms like he should have been. Where is he!" Yami demanded, dropping the now unconscious Beaver Warrior as he put his full attention on Celtic Warrior.

Celtic Warrior met the news with shock. Of all things he might have expected to hear, that was not one of them. Like the others, he had thought that the hikari was still tucked away in his new chambers. After all, neither he nor Solitaire had set foot outside the rooms since Yami and the others had left. With Solitaire's habit of hoarding food at times, there was no chance of them running out for awhile. So they didn't have to worry about the pair starving.

Though if Yugi really wasn't in his chambers, then it would explain Yami's sudden violent behavior. The only times when he acted even remotely like this was when some large threat was nearby. But there had not been anything close to that since the last major war between himself and Bakura several eons before. Since then, most of the threats that had presented themselves could be considered inconvenient to moderately dangerous to the residents of the palace.

"Well! Where is my hikari!" Yami demanded, jarring Celtic Guardian out of his shock.

"No one has seen him since you left, Yami-sama," Celtic Guardian answered.

He tried to keep his tone as calm as possible, but with the rage that Yami was showing, that was difficult. Even for a seasoned veteran like Celtic Warrior, it was hard to stare the gaze of a creature that could easily destroy him with a single flick of the wrist. Still, he would try doing it if it meant that it would keep Yami from going on a rampage. With the way he was acting, that was the last thing anyone would want to happen. Yami could very well level the entire palace in his search for Yugi with how reckless he was being.

"What do you mean you haven't seen him?" Yami bellowed," How could you possibly not see me hikari? He never leaves the palace unless I am with him."

"But we were only following his orders, Yami-sama," Celtic Guardian protested.

"What orders?" Yami growled.

"The orders that everyone but Solitaire was to leave him alone until he deemed otherwise. We assumed it was because he was feeling indisposed again and didn't want the distraction until he was feeling better," Celtic Guardian explained.

Outwardly, Yami met this news with stoic silence. Within however, it was an entirely different story. Inwardly, Yami was screaming in disbelief at what he was hearing. How could it be that his hikari had managed to slip through the fingers and claws of such powerful and diligent creatures like his? It was impossible. There was no way such a thing could happen in his palace. Not when he was always so careful to make certain that everything that was organized and set to perfection in order to make sure that nothing ever happened to his lover. Which, as he now saw, was obviously not enough if he managed to disappear from right under everyone's noses. Though the circumstances leading to this event were not totally uncalled for if one were to look at the situation from a distance.

It was not wrong for the servants to assume that Yugi was feeling indisposed. It wouldn't have been the first time that the hikari had been that way since he had voluntarily withdrawn from Yami's company. When he had not been in the library, he had stayed secluded within the new rooms that he had chosen for himself and Solitaire. No one would be allowed in except for said servant, who only even left when she was at her master's side or when the stock of food that they had ran low. Otherwise, no one ever saw either of them. So with those being the most recent standard for behavior, it was the norm that everyone had come to expect.

Even so, the less logical part of Yami did accept this entirely. With or without anything strange going on, someone should have checked on the hikari enough to be sure that he was fine. It could have been just to knock and see if there was anything he needed that Solitaire hadn't already gotten for him. Or just to clean the room since that was what was supposed to be done anyhow. Yet none of that had been done and now Yugi was gone as a result.

"You should have checked on him anyway since I was not here to monitor what was happening," Yami growled out.

"I'm sorry, Yami-sama. We just had no reason to doubt his orders. There have been neither unusual energy traces nor any sightings of intruders. Except for the servants that were cleaning or on guard duty, no one has been this way, Yami-sama. We had no reason to assume that there was anything wrong," Celtic Guardian explained.

His explanation had some merit. Though there were constant patrols and checks to be sure that no one had invaded the palace, if there was nothing amiss then no one would attempt to investigate. They would continue with security measures as they always had, still on the lookout for trouble but still getting on with life. That was something, even in his present mood, that Yami could not find fault with. His servants had only done as they had been ordered and trained to do. That was what he expected of them at all times.

Still, for the less logical part of his mind that steadily took more ground as the seconds went by, none of that mattered in the least. All that mattered was that his hikari was gone and no one had ever known that it had happened. More should have been done to prevent anything from happening to Yugi, even in the short amount of time that Yami had been gone. And each moment that passed without knowing where Yugi was led to the possibility that something had happened to his little one. Something that Yami would do everything within his power to remedy, no matter what it cost him.

It was only now that he noticed the other Monsters that had been gathering the last few moments. Like Celtic Guardian, they had heard the commotion going on and had come to investigate. Upon seeing the state of things, the majority had hung back to avoid catching their master's attention. A few however, such as Dark Magician, did not fall into this behavior and came forward regardless of the risk that they were taking.

"We are at your command, Yami-sama. What are your orders?" Dark Magician asked, already sensing what his master had in mind for them all.

"Every Monster that can be spared is to search until my hikari is found and brought safely back to this palace," Yami snarled," I will personally destroy those that disobey this command. Now, all of you, go. We're wasting time standing here."

Most of the Monsters that had arrived scattered at once. One led Beaver Warrior away to the infirmary to be examined for possible injury while others went to spread Yami's order around the palace. Only two remained. This was Dark Magician and Celtic Guardian. The two Monsters remained with their Master as he stood there, eyes glowing and still seething with an unprovoked rage that continued to grow by the moment. He continued to stand there for a moment longer before turning and stalking off to start a search for himself. His two servants remained behind for a moment longer, one looking as if he were torn between following their Master and going to search while the other seemed to know exactly what he needed to do.

"You go ahead and search with the others, Celtic Guardian. I will remain here with our Master in case he needs to send out more orders," Dark Magician said.

"All right but be careful, my friend. Our Master is not himself," Celtic Guardian warned.

Dark Magician nodded but said nothing further. He knew as well as his friend how unstable their Master was steadily becoming. It was something that neither had ever seen before but knew of nonetheless. Like many things that were based in the Shadow Realm, their knowledge was based on instincts that were deeply placed into their minds and beings. Instincts that the fates had placed into them so that if the need ever arose, then they would know how to handle the situation. For unlike many things in the realms, there were just some things that the fates didn't leave up to chance. When it came to light and darkness, there always had to be a backup plan just in case something happened.

Personally, Dark Magician hoped that if something did happen soon, that it would be in their favor. He had no idea what had caused Yugi to disappear as he had, but he was praying that it didn't lead him into danger. Though he spent more time around Yami and was closest to him out of all the servants, he also had a place in his heart for Yugi. And not simply because he was a hikari, as was often the case with those that swore loyalty to another in the Shadow Realm. No, now it was because he had a genuine interest in what happened to those around him and with the recent attempt on Ryou, that heightened those feelings even more.

So as he hurried after his Master, Dark Magician sent out a silent prayer. One was to the fates, a desperate hope that they would decide to show mercy in this instance. Enough so that Yugi was found before anything happened to him. Another was sent to Yugi himself, for both his sake and Yami's. One that sent out the hope that the hikari would send word to Yami on his own.

_Please Yugi-sama, _Dark Magician pleaded silently,_ Please, hear Yami-sama's call for you and answer. It might be the only thing that can stop him from doing something that we will all regret._

A/N: With this chapter done, I am going to make a few things clear for Hikari Paladin. I have read your review and I can understand your confusion as well as appreciate your comment. There are two reasons why the monsters haven't noticed that Yugi is gone yet. The first and main part is that while Earth we have a concept of time, in this version of the Shadow Realm, they do not. They just eat when they're hungry and sleep when they're tired. Simple as that. Another thing is that with as much detail as I try to put into this story and with as little time as I have, sometimes I don't always think of every possibility. I just try to write in a way that at least makes some sense without getting rotten fruit thrown at me for stupidity. But thanks for the comment though, it did help shape parts of this chapter during the final editing.


	13. Breaking Down At Last

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short and that it's taking so long with updates, it's just that like usual, a lot has been happening my life. I'm close to completing my major, so that's taking up a lot of time. Work, dating, and family are also taking up huge chunks as well. So the times that I have to actually sit down and work on this are becoming few and far between. But I promise that I will finish both this story and Ignorance is never bliss no matter how long it takes me. Icarus and Yami Neko will make sure of that whether I want them to or not.

Chapter 12: Breaking Down At Last

It so subtle at first that no one even noticed until the changes were apparent. They had all just continued with their daily lives as if nothing was wrong. Whenever there seemed to be some sign that might be wrong, it would either be brushed off with a quick excuse or as a mistake in perception. In fact, when they had first met, no one would have suspected that it would happen. Everyone assumed that they would continue to learn about one another and attempt to overcome the barriers between their worlds. A task that would was supposed to come to coincide with their everyday lives. Sadly, when it came to Yugi's behavior that was no longer the case. For something had happened with the little hikari that no one had been expecting.

In the last two weeks, Yugi's entire demeanor had slowly been changing. He was still as friendly to his companions as ever, but at times, he seemed to be growing distant. One moment he would be among everyone, smiling and asking questions about whatever their conversation was steered towards. The next, he would just grow silent and go off into his own little world. It even got to the point where he would ignore everyone else for several moments at a time, even when they were talking right to him. The whole thing was starting to get confusing for the others.

It was even more so when Yugi also started to glance almost jealously at Jou and Seto whenever the two appeared to be having an intimate moment. A sort of yearning would come to his eyes, as if he too desired that sort of attention from someone. Then, like it had so many times when he found himself being watched, that look would disappear from Yugi's eyes completely and he would become his cheerful self again. If questioned, he would just deny that anything was wrong. Instead, he would just continue on as if nothing had happened. It was a behavior that unnerved the others enough that they eventually went to Solitaire for an explanation.

In private, the dragon mentioned that Yugi kept staring at Jou and Seto the way he had because he missed being with his own lover, Yami. As far as she could remember, their several weeklong stay on Earth had been the longest that two had ever spent apart. Most of the other occasions when Yugi and Yami had been parted had only been for a few hours if the separation was caused by the latter's personal duties. Other separations only occurred when they journeyed to another yami's territory and there were matters crucial to Shadow Realm stability to be attended to. And these lasted a few days at best but there was always some interaction between the two mentally if things came to that.

Since before they had come to Earth, Yugi had made no attempt to open his link with Yami. He had kept up tight mental barriers that would take even a good measure of his lover's own willpower to create even a crack through. So far, the lack of contact hadn't proven to be too much of a problem or a strain on Yugi. If he felt anything at all, he was just able to push it to the back of his mind until it wasn't as noticeable. Then he just went on as if nothing was wrong. It was what he had been doing ever since he and Yami had parted ways in the Meeting Hall. This was also a tactic that could only last so long before something did start to happen.

That was the case when Yugi could finally start to feel as the pressure at the back of his mind steadily began to take its toll on him. All the times that he had pushed aside and ignored the stress being placed on the link were starting to come back at him tenfold. There were moments when it felt as if his mind were going to explode from all the mental pressure that was steadily building in it. And when that happened, it was all that Yugi could do to bite back the screams that desperately wanted to be released. Yugi knew there was no point in doing otherwise. What he was suffering from was of his own doing and he knew it. So he made no effort to inform either Solitaire or the humans of his growing problem, viewing it as something that he had to deal with on his own.

As is often the case however, the more he tried to hide it, the more it became noticeable to the others. They did not catch on right away, as Yugi was good at hiding what he felt when he wanted to. But when he started to turn slightly pale at time or stated more and more that he was having headaches, everyone began to sit up and take notice. They started to put all this together with the other odd behaviors that the hikari had been displaying as of late. Once they did, there was mistake for either Solitaire or the humans that there was something wrong with their friend. The problem was just finding out what that was and getting Yugi to admit to it. Which was definitely going to be easier said that done given how said hikari had already been acting.

Everything started to come to a head one Saturday afternoon. Like they did nearly every other day, everyone had come over to the Kaiba mansion to have lunch and discuss how they might spend the afternoon. It would be one of those times when they would all be together as Mokuba wasn't going to the arcade with his friends and Seto had actually managed to finish his workload for the week. So they were all trying to come up with something new to show Yugi and Solitaire that everyone could at least tolerate for a few hours without getting into fights. As of yet, nothing had really been decided upon. The furthest that they had really gotten was arguing whether they should go to a museum or to a movie.

Honda and Jou were for the movies, since they knew that Yugi had taken a liking to the films after seeing so many on the television. They thought that he might enjoy seeing it on the big screen for a change instead of the one in the Kaibas' living room. Anzu and Seto, strangely enough, were both in favor of the museum. Each for their own reasons of course. Anzu for the reason that it would be educational for Yugi to understand some of Earth's history and Seto since it was something would keep everyone out of trouble. In his opinion, going to the movies with such a large group was a recipe for trouble that he would rather avoid.

While everyone continued to debate what they should do, Jou cast a glance at Yugi. Normally during these discussions, Yugi really had no idea of the things that his friends were talking about. Most of the terms were completely foreign to him, so he really couldn't always be sure what they were talking about. But at least he would always offer at least some opinion of what he might want to do or some compromise that they could all live with. This time however, Yugi just sat quietly on a couch looking more exhausted than Jou could ever remember him being.

"You okay, Yugi? You look a little sick," Jou asked.

"Y-yeah. I-I'm f-fine," Yugi stuttered weakly.

He tried to offer a smile of encouragement to put his friends at ease but failed miserably. The best that Yugi was able to come up with was a tired expression that clearly said that he was about to lose it. How that would happen remained to be seen of course, but it was easy to see that the end result wasn't going to be pretty. And that was a possibility that became more apparent as the others ceased their argument and turned back to Yugi. It was under their worried gazes that the hikari struggled to regain a composure that was steadily slipping away.

From her usual perch on the back of the couch, Solitaire watched as well. She hadn't bothered joining in the discussion since what happened made little difference to her. No matter what she decided, she knew that it would just be another dull day where she ended up falling asleep for one reason or another. Movies only held her attention for so long before she moved on and history was not something that she had never really been interested in to begin with.

What Solitaire did pay attention to was Yugi. Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she regarded what little her friend was doing. Never in all the time that she had known Yugi had Solitaire ever seen him act this way. The worst that he had ever been was that day in his chambers after walking out on Yami. There had never been another occasion when he seemed so listless or pale. To her, it almost seemed like he was straining against something. A fact which was impossible since Yugi hadn't made much use of his powers other than to make her invisible or to demonstrate for the humans. Of course, she knew there was also the barrier that he had put up in his mind but that couldn't have….

After this thought came to mind, everything finally clicked into place. Solitaire hissed angrily as she realized just what was happening to Yugi. She found herself filling with a growing fury. One part of which was directed towards Yugi for keeping something this important from her and the other was at herself for not noticing. After being around Yugi for so long, she should have known him well enough to know when he was hiding something this important. Yet she hadn't because she had been pulled along with the excitement of being in a new world and learning about its people and customs. Now she just wanted to kick herself for being so ignorant.

"Yes there is something wrong, Yugi," Solitaire accused as she leapt down to the floor before Yugi," There's something wrong with your link, isn't there? That's why you've been so sick lately. It's bothering you for some reason."

"It's not that serious, Solitaire," Yugi protested," I'm just getting a little headache from holding it closed for so long. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be fine after I get something in my stomach."

Solitaire openly glared at Yugi for that. They both knew that he had outright lied to her, no matter what sort of expression he put on his face. Just as they both knew that there was more to what was going on than what Yugi was telling her. Something that Solitaire didn't like in the least since it could mean that there was something terribly wrong with Yugi that might cause the Hikari harm. And even if she was his friend and had agreed to help him in any way that she could, they both knew that Solitaire would not just stand by while there was something wrong with her master. A fact which she wasn't afraid to express as her spinal crest rose in aggravation and her webbed forepaws clenched tightly.

"Yugi! Are you out of your mind? If there's something wrong with your link, then you should have told me. We both know how serious that can be for you," she snapped.

A little taken aback by her outburst, Yugi insisted again," I told you that I'm fine, Solitaire. It's just a headache."

"One of who knows how many you've been dealing with lately," Solitaire snorted.

"Okay, time out, Solitaire. What's the hell's a link and what does it have to do with Yugi?" Jou demanded.

"A link is a term used to describe the telepathic bond between a yami and a hikari. This bond is created from the special linking of their souls and lets them communicate with one another over great distances. At least, it's supposed to when the link remains open on both ends," Solitaire explained without ever taking her eyes from her master.

Not liking where this was going, Jou asked," And if there's something wrong with this link thing?"

"If the bond becomes too strained, like if they're kept apart for too long without any kind of mental or physical contact, then they both start to feel the pinch," she said.

This didn't settle too well with the humans as they looked uneasily at one another after hearing Solitaire's explanation. They knew that there was no denying that something was wrong with their friend, just looking at how pale he had gotten in the last few moments confirmed that. The most anyone thought was wrong though was that he was coming down with physical ailment. After all, they had no idea how someone from an alternate world might react to being in their world for so long. It might have started to affect him without them realizing it. None of them had thought that something was going wrong with his mind.

"What happens if they feel too much of a…pinch?" Anzu asked uncertainly.

"I….I don't know. I've heard about it from the older servants, but I've never seen it for myself. I just know that it's trouble," Solitaire answered.

Only a fool was unable to see that from the look on her face, the trouble that Solitaire was referring to was serious. Just like the time when she spoke about the yamis, she actually seemed to be a little afraid. The difference was that this time, it was not in fear of someone else's powers. What scared Solitaire this time was the effects that could be caused by the growing problem. And if there was any truth to what Solitaire was saying, then it wasn't something that they could ignore and hope that it would go away.

"You know, if you're not feeling well, maybe you guys should head home for awhile, Yugi," Anzu suggested," It might help you feel better."

"Yeah," Jou agreed," Ya can always come back later. Then we can get back on track and teach ya more stuff."

Their intentions were meant well but it fell on deaf ears. For once, Yugi did not care for what his friends said or did. The only thing that mattered to him was the turmoil that continually swirled in both his mind and heart. These were things that he knew that had to be resolved soon. The only thing was that was going to be done on his terms and no one else's. In his mind, that had already been enough in his life. First by always complying with what Yami wanted him to do and then by following the rules that his human friends were constantly telling him needed to be followed in order to keep his secret. All had meant well but enough was enough. For once, Yugi was going to take matters into his own hands with no help from either his lover or any of his friends.

"I'm not going back," Yugi choked out.

The words were spoken so quietly, that one could almost swear that they had not been said. If it wasn't for the fact that everyone could see Yugi's lips moving, they might have ignored it completely. But that and the look on Yugi's face made such things impossible. There was a look of urgent determination on his face that they knew without a shadow of a doubt that he meant business.

"Yugi?" Honda started.

"You heard what I said. I said that I wasn't going back to the Shadow Realm until I proved myself and I meant that. If go back now then it will just prove that everything Yami thought about me was true," he retorted.

Everyone was a bit taken aback by his sudden response. Yugi had never spoken so harshly to one of the humans, ever. The last time he had come close to acting like that was just after his fight with Yami, when he had yelled at Solitaire. Then he had felt remorse after speaking to a friend like that. Now however, Yugi felt no such thing as quickly as he had felt with the dragon. All he felt at that moment was the pain and frustration that his growing headache was causing. A headache that the others were saying that he should just go home for until he felt better and thus keeping him from completing his goal of proving himself to Yami.

"Yugi…," Anzu started.

"You heard what I said. I'm not going back so stop saying that," Yugi snapped.

About now, the guilt was starting to set it as Yugi's hikari nature took its hold. Even though he was still hurting, Yugi began to understand what his friends were trying to say. They were worried about him and not trying to hold him back from his goal. He saw that once he saw the hurt and confused expressions that went across his friends' faces. And knowing that he was the one that had caused this for them, Yugi also realized that it would be better for everyone if he just went on his own for awhile. He was doing no good for anyone so long as was in this state and taking it out on others.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. Please don't bother me for awhile," Yugi mumbled as he fled the room.

The others watched him go in stunned silence. Never in all the time that they had known him had any of them heard Yugi talk like that to anyone. Even when stressed, the Hikari always had a soft tone to his voice. Now though, his voice sounded tired and thin. It was now more obvious than ever that he had been pushed to the very edge of his resources and was about to give up completely. Only a thin thread of powerful determination and willpower kept the hikari from totally crumbling. It was an action that could almost be admired for the strength of mind he showed but it was not something that anyone liked to see in the vibrant being that was Yugi.

By keeping so much in, he was unnecessarily hurting himself. A hurt that they could now all see was starting to cause serious harm to their friend. It was just that none of them, even Solitaire, really knew what to do. Yugi had refused their suggestions and had run away from them before they could even offer to help. Now they were left trying to understand the full extent of what was happening to their friend and what they could possibly do to alleviate the situation, if it was even possible.

"I-Is Yugi going to be okay?" Mokuba asked finally.

He had remained silent during the entire exchange, too afraid to say anything. Of them all, he was the most confused. For him, Yugi had always been the one real playmate that he could count on outside of the few friends that he had at school. Most of the people that he hung around were older than him by at least five years or more, and even if they tried their best to include him in their activities, they could not always relate to the boy on the same level. For even though he was countless eons old, Yugi just had a spirit about him that did not age. It remained pure and innocent regardless of what he did. So to see his friend as he was, Mokuba just wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"I don't know, Mokuba, but I promise that we're gonna find a way to help the little guy," Jou promised.

"Which I hope you know won't be easy. Once Yugi makes up his mind on anything, not much is going to get in his way," Solitaire warned.

"Then you do something. You've been around Yugi longer than any of us put together, so that means you've obviously got a better chance of convincing him to go home than any of us. So why don't you figure out some way to get him back to the Shadow Realm?" Seto demanded.

"Read my fangs, Kaiba Seto. I follow Yugi's orders, NOT the other way around. I can't make him do anything that he doesn't want to even if it's for his own good. So if he wants to stay here, then that's where he's staying," Solitaire snarled.

She bristled angrily as she spoke, crest rising as a sign of her irritation and a few sparks crackling along her back. It was nothing new for any of them to see. Solitaire often did that when she let her emotions get the better of her. But this time, there was a new emotion shining in her eyes that no one had seen before. That was despair. The kind that came from knowing that someone she cared about was suffering but there was nothing she could do to help him unless he allowed it. Something that Yugi had already made quite clear that he did not want from anyone, including her.

"I don't understand. You've always been so open and never let anything stand in your way if you thought that Yugi should know something. What's so different now?" Anzu asked.

"It's simple. Even if we're friends, Yugi is still my master. I have to do whatever he wants, whether I like it or not. The spell that binds me to him keeps it that way," Solitaire said.

"Spell? What spell?" Anzu said.

"The one that binds me to Yugi as his eternal servant. You see, when Yami-sama made me Yugi's servant, he set down certain conditions with a binding spell to ensure that I would never betrayed my master. I had to obey Yugi's orders and abide by his decisions to the letter even when I didn't think they were right. If I don't, my soul goes down the toilet," she answered.

The way she spoke, more than one face lit up with anger. At first, Solitaire could not see why. She had merely spoken the truth. Yet when the responses started, she more than understood. It was another occasion when the meaning between both worlds and species needed some serious work.

"Are you telling me that you're not gonna do anything? You're more worried about yourself when Yugi is in trouble? What kind of friend does that?" Honda demanded.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you? I never said that I was more concerned about myself. I just said that if I disobey Yugi in any sense, then my soul is toast. And I'm not exactly of any use to my friend if I'm dead, now am I?" Solitaire snarled.

"Good point," Honda gulped.

"All right, so Solitaire getting Yugi to go home till he's better is out of the question. From what just happened, I guess we're not gonna make much difference either. So what are we going to do until we figure something out?" Anzu asked.

"Not sure but someone outta go after the little guy and keep an eye on him," Jou said," I mean, Yugi really doesn't look like he's up for taking care of himself right now."

"I better go. If you go, it'll just get him more agitated. We don't need that happening. So it's best if I go. Yugi's used to me being around whenever he's upset back home, so he shouldn't notice me right away," Solitaire replied.

"Are you sure, Solitaire?" Honda asked.

"I'm sure. Besides, I'm good at hiding anyway. So I'll have a way better chance of finding something out then any of you. But if anything else happens, I'll let you know," Solitaire promised.

"Wait. Didn't you say that you had to follow all of Yugi's orders?" Anzu asked worriedly.

"Yes. Why?" Solitaire replied.

"If you go after him, then you're disobeying him. You said yourself that it would mean you would die," the girl responded.

"That's only if he gives me something direct. The way around that is that he just asked, not ordered. So I'll be fine," Solitaire promised with a wink as she bounded out of the room.

The others watched her go with a sense of fear. Each of them wanted to follow after her to ensure that their friend was all right, but they knew better. As Solitaire had said, now was not the time to be fussing over Yugi. All that would do was end up making things worse than they already were. No, the best course of action would be for Solitaire to follow Yugi and hopefully speak with him once he had a chance to clear his head. In the meantime, they would continue to think up ways to help their friend before anything else happened.

A/N: Well, that's done for now. The next part should be out very soon, as I have half the chapter done right now. It is also in the next chapter that things will start to come together. I will try to get it out as soon as possible as I've got a little more time to write now that the holidays are coming up. Later and have a happy holiday, everyone.


	14. A plot revealed

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 13: A plot revealed

A/N: Sorry for the long stance between updates, but I had several good reasons. The last several months have been very hard for me. Not only have I been in the middle of a move that turned out to be a major bust, but my grandmother passed away in late March. She went in for surgery for a malignant tumor in her lung and caught pneumonia when liquid got into her good lung. She passed away less than a week after that even though the doctors spent days trying to save her. I've been depressed ever since and so have not had the urge to write.

In August, my boyfriend also had to go into the hospital for surgery. He had a stroke in the middle of the night and they had to operate in order to save his life. He had been in the ICU twice since this happened and though he was showing good signs in the recovery department, it will be awhile before he can leave the hospital for anything other than therapy. The doctors are confident about his recovery, but it will still take a long time. So with all this happening, I'm sorry for the lack of updates but my heart just hasn't been in it. Thankfully though, I have been getting help for my depression and the emotional breakdown that I suffered from a couple of weeks ago. This has helped me find my muse again and hopefully I will be able to get back in the swing of updating. So please expect this story to be finished sooner or later and enjoy the read.

Solitaire found Yugi almost instantly. Without even really trying, she found him in one of the side alcoves that were scattered throughout the garden behind the Kaiba property. This particular one had become a favorite of Yugi's since they had come to stay at this place and Solitaire had learned that it was where he would go when he wanted to think. In fact, it was where he had been going a great deal as of late whenever he managed to slip away from the others.

This time, as he always was whenever she found him, he was seated on the ornate bench that sat off to one corner of the alcove. Next to it, there was lattice that was covered in red and yellow roses. There were no such flowers in the Shadow Realm and like many things; Yugi had grown quite fond of them during their time on Earth. On sunny afternoons when it was just him, Jou, and Solitaire, he had spent hours starting at the blossoms.

Right now he was gently stroking one of the new buds, his mind obviously elsewhere as Solitaire approached. There were pale red petals just starting to poke through the protective green covering that sheltered it. In time, the petals would darken to a deep red as they aged. Though it would not be the deep crimson of his lover, Yugi knew that the blossoms would be a similar shade to Yami's eyes. That was one reason why he liked these particular bushes so much. It was painful sometimes, but it gave him some reminder of the one he loved best.

The problem was, right now Yugi didn't want to be remind about Yami. It just brought closer to home, at least for him, that he had not yet reached his goal. Though he had been learning so much about another world and had made allies of some of its inhabitants, there was still so much left for him to do. Yugi knew that there was still more for him to learn about humanity, which was a puzzle unlike any other that he had come across.

The species and its values were constantly opening his mind to new possibilities that he had never even dreamed of before. And what he had learned so far was only of one culture. According to his friends, there were hundreds of different cultures across the globe, each with its own set of ideals and customs to live by. With such things existing on this world, it could take eons to learn everything about them. That meant that Yugi's original plan to learn about the people of Earth and how to survive among them before heading for home again had changed drastically. Now he could very well be here for who knew how long in order to accomplish his goals.

From behind the dense covers of the many rose bushes, Solitaire watched her Master lost in thought. She wasn't sure of everything that was going on in Yugi's head right now, but she at least had a few ideas. It was also a clear sign to her that this was seriously getting out of hand. Yugi was sick even though he wouldn't admit it and being stubborn and all the worrying he had to be doing wasn't helping matters. If anything, it was just making it all worse. She could tell that much just by seeing how pale Yugi had become.

Inwardly, Solitaire continued to berate herself for letting things come this far. She should have known that something was wrong with Yugi. She had been able to do so in the past, so why should this time have been any different?

_Probably because you were too busy watching the humans make fools of themselves when it came to teaching us about their world and not watching your friend like you were supposed to,_ she thought bitterly.

She moved forward a little, trying to get a better look at what Yugi was doing. So far he hadn't seen her yet, which was good. It gave her a chance to observe him some more without raising a fuss. Given how he had reacted earlier, that was probably for the best. As much as he needed to go back to the Shadow Realm and recover, Solitaire knew that any time that he had to calm down would be good for the Hikari. The dragon kept that in mind as she reached up to move aside a branch that was blocking her view.

SNAP!

_Stupid bushes. Too thin for handling with claws. I ought to make a complaint to Kaiba about these stupid things,_ Solitaire cursed inwardly.

Apparently the branch she had been reaching for was thinner than the dragon had believed and had snapped under the movement. Now she held the broken twig in one clawed paw and had a surprised Hikari starting her way. Well, so much for the element of surprise. That had been lost thanks to the apparent delicateness of a plant that Solitaire was seriously starting to hate for other than its thorns.

Yugi had looked up to meet Solitaire's gaze. Not totally surprised that she was there, given her habit of doing so, he mentally berated himself for not noticing her sooner. If he had, he would have had the chance to tell her to go away. Then he could think in peace rather than have a possible argument with the dragon. Something which he knew was bound to happen with the mood that he was in right now.

"I told everyone that I wanted to be left alone right now, Solitaire," Yugi grumbled.

"True, but you never actually ordered me to remain behind. Unless I received a direct order to do so, there's no reason for me not to be nearby in case my master needs me," Solitaire replied as she moved out of hiding and scrambled up on onto the bench to sit beside him.

Yugi sighed. This was one of those times that he really wished that Solitaire wasn't so good at finding her way around things. It would have made it easier to figure this out on his own if she had just left him alone for a change. Knowing Solitaire as he did, Yugi already knew that that was asking too much of the dragon. The only time she would ever leave him alone was if either Yami or Yugi himself ordered her away. Otherwise she was right there, sticking her snout into whatever was happening.

He had not done that this time, so she had come looking for him. Now that she was there, Yugi did have the option of directly ordering the dragon to leave alone so that he could collect his thoughts. Yet at the same time, he didn't want to send his friend away when she was probably worried about him. She wouldn't have come after him otherwise, that he knew. It made wanting to send her away harder for Yugi, who was already feeling emotionally drained from both fending off Yami's constant mental prodding and then the argument with his friends.

"You still shouldn't have come, Solitaire. I really need to be alone right now," Yugi said finally.

"No, you don't. I know you, Yugi. If I leave you alone in this state, you're bound to get into trouble," Solitaire smirked.

It was meant to be a joke, but obviously Yugi didn't see it as that. He glared back at the dragon, who cleared her throat nervously as a result. She immediately tried to think of something else to say, but for once, she was at a loss. Things were just a little too tense for even her to come up with something right on the spot in order to lighten this situation.

The problem was slightly solved when Yugi asked," So did you come alone or should I expect Jou or someone else to pop out from behind a bush?"

"No, I went solo this time. The others wanted to come, but I said that it would be better if I talked to you. Besides they're still kinda getting over the fact that you yelled at that. They're not exactly used to seeing you lose your temper like that," Solitaire replied.

"I didn't mean to do that, but I meant what I said, Solitaire. You all have to understand. I'm not going back until I've finished what I started. Everything will be for nothing if I go back now. I don't see why everyone can't get that. They just keep telling me to go home and come back," Yugi protested.

"They're doing that because they're worried about you, Yugi. The humans really care about what happens to you and so do I," Solitaire insisted.

"I know, Solitaire, I know," Yugi murmured.

"Then please don't shut us out. I know that we came here so that you could prove that you could stand on your own, but you know better than anyone that sometimes you need to ask for help. That's what you want Yami-sama to do with you. If that's true, then you need to let us do the same for you. Otherwise, you're just being as hardheaded as he was," Solitaire said.

Once again, part of Yugi found himself glad for the friendship that he shared with the dragon. It had taken her awhile this time due to the surprises that he kept throwing his way, but she had come through for the Hikari again. When he needed a little dose of reality, she had given him just that. Another part of him might have felt it was a little harsh, given the mood he was in, but deep down he knew that he needed it.

Yugi opened his mouth to answer Solitaire when a new pressure started to build in the back of his mind. Not the kind that came from the link being strained, that had started to feel more like a throb than a pulse. This was more direct and persistent, stronger in fact than anything else that he had felt before. And right away, he knew exactly what it was. And once identified, that drained any color that remained in Yugi's face. The Hikari could feel as he started to go numb from the realization.

"Yugi? What's wrong, huh? What I said couldn't have been that bad," Solitaire prodded.

Yugi didn't answer. He was too busy trying to block out the strong pulse that was now constantly trying to force its way into his mind. It took every ounce of willpower and mental strength that he could muster in order to accomplish this. For what seemed like an eternity, both sides kept pushing back and forth, back and forth. No side seemed to give on either end and it was a process that was starting to drain Yugi more than the headaches had been.

"Yugi? Come on now, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" Solitaire asked again.

"It's Yami. I can feel him trying to find me," Yugi whispered," Yami's trying to break down the barrier in my mind. He wants to find where I am."

Solitaire instantly froze at that confession. If what Yugi said was true, then it meant that their absence from the Shadow Realm had finally been discovered. If that was the case, then it was only a matter of time before the others came looking for them. Such a search might not find them immediately given how many worlds there were but eventually, Yami and the others would find them. The dark spirit would be relentless in his search for Yugi now that he knew he was gone and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Given the condition that Yugi was in, Solitaire almost told him to just give in and allow Yami to find them. It would have been a quick solution to a problem that she knew was only going to get worse. For she knew that if dark and light were to touch mind and so renew their bond, it would start to repair the damage that had already been done to Yugi. Yet at the same time, she was torn between that and her loyalty to what her friend and Master would want.

It was times like these that being bound to Yugi in the way that she was really didn't work out. Solitaire had known that it was meant to prevent betrayal and to keep her from going against her Master's wishes, but right she was starting to think that now was one of those times when she needed to. Yugi wasn't thinking straight and even if he couldn't see that, others could. What he needed was to be taken back to the Shadow Realm and quickly. The longer he put it off, the more damage he was doing to himself and Yami. She could see that now, as he was trying to fight off both the mental stress in the link and trying to hold back Yami.

Solitaire opened her mouth to say something else, though she stopped when she realized there that they were no longer alone. A new scent had reached her nose while Yugi struggled to keep Yami's presence out of his mind. It was a dank smell that reminded her of the sour milk that she had found in the back of the fridge one day when they were getting lunch. It was nasty and starting to make her feel like she was going to gag.

Yugi, having momentarily succeeded in pushing Yami back, looked up to see a snarl forming on Solitaire's face. His struggle had not been easy and he was exhausted. So to see her acting like that so suddenly was a shock that Yugi needed to start acting a little more alert.

"Solitaire, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't like that smell," Solitaire hissed quietly, eyes darting back and forth as she tried to figure out the source," It just feels wrong."

"The only thing that I see as wrong is for anyone to allow you to call yourself a dragon. Honestly, what are the worlds coming to if a pathetic creature like you gets away with claiming relation to some of the most magnificent creatures to walk the Realms," a voice sighed.

Dragon and Hikari turned towards where they believed the voice had come from. At first, they saw nothing other than the blooming gardens of the Kaiba estates. But there was still a distinct aura in the air that both Shadow Realm beings were picking up. One that held the unmistakable signature of dark energy at its core. Not the kind that they were familiar with when it came to creatures from their own world. That was a bit more stable than this, which held an undercurrent unpredictability to it that had them both on edge.

On instinct, Yugi put up a shield around himself and Solitaire. Due to his condition, this might not have been the best idea. His reserves were already severely depleted and this move only made matters worse. It also weakened any protection that the shield might have offered them, only serving to keep any dark energy out for a short amount of time. And even that could have been shortened if enough blows were placed upon the shield, causing it to shatter.

"Oh, isn't that cute? The light actually thinks that he can keep me out," the voice said again.

This time, a figure stepped into view. It came through a portal which opened along the path leading up to the alcove where Yugi and Solitaire were. Out of it came a tall, slender woman with dark purple hair that shimmered almost like the skies of the Shadow Realm. Her skin was pale in comparison, almost making her seem like a ghostly figure than a solid being. The stark contrast made her seem all the more unreal as she came closer to the pair.

Behind her came several creatures that neither one had ever seen before. For an instance, they appeared solid and then it seemed as if they were made of smoke. Like the things that humans called mirages that often played tricks upon the mind. It was a disturbing sight even for unearthly beings such as themselves. How that was possible neither knew nor were they sure that they wanted to find out. Right now the one thing that the two wanted was for these creatures to return to wherever they came from and let them be. Unfortunately, their unexpected guests had other ideas as they continued to come closer.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A little light away from the darkness? How unusual," the woman purred.

Yugi shivered at her tone. For some unknown reason, the way she spoke made him feel afraid and uneasy. There was an unsaid promise that she would deliver a pain that he had never known before and one that he would regret coming into contact with. That struck the Hikari to his very core in a way that had never happened before and he didn't like that one bit.

At his side, Solitaire raised her spinal crest in alarm rather than to intimidate. She too sensed the undertone in the woman's words and she didn't like it anymore than Yugi. The difference was that she also sensed something a little deeper than her friend did. As a dragon, many of her senses were sharper than that of many other creatures. Thus she was starting to pick up on just how deep the dark magic ran within the being of this woman and that scared her.

She snarled deeply, baring her teeth in the most threatening manner that she could muster. The woman spared the dragon no amount of attention. Her entire focus was upon Yugi, who visibly started to shiver under her intense gaze. Hers was a predatory gaze that meant only harm and caused distrust despite the calm that tried to mask it.

"You know you really shouldn't be out here alone, Hikari. There's no telling what might happen to you," she said.

"He's fine with me. So whoever you are, buzz off," Solitaire growled.

"Mistress will leave when she gets what she came for!" a toad-like creature screeched as it bounded into view.

At first, he had been hidden by the crowd of smoke creatures that still lingered just beyond the woman. Unlike them however, he was of a solid shape and boy, what a pathetic shape it was. This creature seemed to be an amalgamation of several things at once rather than anything singular. He was a little shorter than Yugi, but not by much. His body was roughly shaped like a toad, but with dark purple skin with splotches of green and white littering his arms and legs. Bright orange eyes that would have fit a hyena lay on either side of his head, watching everything around him. The tattered skin of some poor animal was tied around his waist, hiding most of his lower torso. Spikes grew out of his back in disarray, while a broken fang jutted from his lips.

"Silence Gil," she ordered, gaze never leaving Yugi.

Gil gulped before nodding and crouching near his Mistress. He could be insane at times, but even he was no fool to incur her wrath. Past lessons and sights had taught him better of that. The last thing he wanted to do was to end up on her experiment table like so many others that had displeased her. That was a surefire road to oblivion if that happened.

"W-who a-are you?" Yugi stammered.

"I am Miaka, Sorceress of the Abyss," she smiled maliciously.

Neither Hikari nor dragon needed any explanation after that. They knew full well what the Abyss was and what it entailed. It was supposedly a dark world that came close to rivaling the Shadow Realm when it came to gloom and power that was spawned from its depth. The main difference was while both had power, the Abyss lacked the balance of the Shadow Realm. There was no light there as there was in the Shadow Realm, which had its power divided between the yamis and the hikaris. This meant that any beings that dwelled there were composed of evil intent that often lacked purpose and did not have the same understanding of balance as others did. Definitely a place to stay away from unless one had a death wish.

At least, that was what everyone assumed. No one really knew what went on in the Abyss. Or to be more accurate, no one had ever actually gone there and brought back word of what that world was truly like. Like so much, it was still a mystery to those that dwelled outside of its borders. All anyone knew was that it was a place to be avoided at every possible cost.

"All right, so you're some witch from the Abyss. What do you want?" Solitaire snarled.

"Nothing that concerns you," Miaka sniffed.

Solitaire bristled, electricity crackling along her spine. Though she longed to use her Glint Strike on the stranger, she knew that it would have little if any effect. For the best effect, she needed to strike a target at short range. That was how she did so well whenever she had to use her attack on stupid creatures like Honda and Jou. The closer the hit, the more punch it packed. From where Miaka was standing though, Solitaire knew that she might stun the woman slightly but not enough to immobilize for them to have a chance of escape.

The same went for Gil and the smoke creatures, who kept well out of range. It was a little frustrating since part of Solitaire was itching for a fight. These creatures were aggravating her dragon pride and that was never a good thing. When a dragon, no matter how large or small, took offense to something, then it was not something to be taken lightly. It could oftentimes also cause the dragon to do things more drastic than they would do under normal circumstances.

"Ha-ha," Gil snickered," Keep on snarling, dragon. It's almost funny."

"Come over here and say that, toad," Solitaire snapped.

"You think that you're a threat," Gil taunted," But you're not. We had more to be afraid of from those pathetic Monsters that serve Bakura than we do you."

"B-Bakura?" Yugi said slowly.

"Why yes, little Hikari. You don't think that you were the first Hikari that I tried to capture do you?" Miaka yawned.

"You tried to kidnap Ryou?" Yugi yelped.

"Yes, I did but unfortunately he was able to contact his yami before my creatures were able to secure him. And once Bakura knew, I knew there was no point in trying to take a Hikari like that again. All the Yamis would be on alert once word got out," Miaka said.

She started to pace in a semi circle around them as she talked. It was like she was a predator stalking her prey, trying to make it nervous enough to bolt in a vain attempt to reach safety. For now, her gesture wasn't enough to make Yugi and Solitaire leave the meager protection of the shield. Both were more on edge of course, but that was to be expected. Instead they just continued to watch as Miaka paced back and forth, speaking in that cold tone while her minions watched from the surrounding garden for the first sign of mistake.

"Who would have thought that the very thing that I sought would save me the trouble of finding him. I really must find a way to thank you for that," Miaka smirked.

"You're not doing anything for him, you witch. Stay away from him or I swear you'll regret it," Solitaire snarled.

Miaka and her minions only laughed at the dragon's threat. To them, she seemed no more a threat than a fly would to an elephant. The sparks flying off her back and the exposed fangs and claws were nothing to be impressed by. If anything, they only saw a joke.

"If you seriously think I'm about to worry about some runty dragon, then you're sadly mistaken. Gil, seize the Hikari so that we can be on our way. I've got better things to do than listen to this beast prattle on," Miaka yawned.

"I'll show you who to worry about, witch," Solitaire growled, darting out of the shield's protection as she made a full lunge at the sorceress.

Behind her, she could hear as Yugi yelled in protest but it was too late. Solitaire had her target in sight and wasn't about to give in. Too bad for the dragon that Miaka had other plans in mind. The sorceress raised her hand, uttered a few words, and a burst of dark magic blasted from her palm. It was in the direct line that Solitaire had set for herself in attacking Miaka, so there was no chance for the dragon to avoid the disaster that was coming.

She let out a protesting squeal as she and the magic contacted. The instant that they did, Solitaire felt as her body went rigid. She was frozen in the posture of her ill-fated lunge, claws extended, mouth opened in a snarl, and a few sparks coming weakly off her back as the energy that had fed was suddenly cut off. No longer able to control her descent, Solitaire landed with a thud upon the grass. Her gaze was partially cut off from the way her face now lay in the grass, but she was aware nonetheless and could still see and hear everything that went on around her.

"Solitaire!" Yugi cried, trying to run to her side.

That proved to be a fatal mistake. In turning his full attention to Solitaire, Yugi dropped the shield that had been protecting him. Without it, weak as it was, he had no longer had any protection from the dark creatures who had been lying in wait for just such a moment. He was stopped when a pair of guards grabbed hold of him. Yugi struggled against their hold, but it was in vain. They had his arms and hands bound within seconds. Soon, like his dragon, there was no way for him to move against what held him. He knew all that was going on, but otherwise, he was stuck fast and was helpless to change that fact.

"What did you do to her?" Yugi grunted as he tried desperately to break the ropes that held him.

"Oh, don't worry about it so much. I didn't kill your stupid dragon just yet, Hikari," Miaka said," She's only been placed under a freezing spell. It's temporary of course, but it will hold her long enough to keep her from interfering any further. And now that she's out of the way, I think that it's time to finish with you as well."

With that said, she started to approach Yugi. He froze again as he came closer, suddenly feeling as if he had been the one hit with the freezing spell instead of Solitaire. He didn't know why, but there was just something about this being that terrified Yugi to his core. The magical aura that she gave off was unlike anything that he had ever felt before. All he could feel from it was a malicious darkness that he had ever felt from the yamis or any other shadow creature.

"Well, at least you've stopped struggling. That should make this a little easier than," Miaka sneered.

"W-what are you going to do to me?" Yugi demanded.

"For now, just a sleeping spell to ensure that you don't cause anymore trouble before I'm ready. After that, well, you'll just have to wait and see. I'm not one to spoil a surprise, Hikari," Miaka answered.

With that, she waved her hand again and released another burst of dark magic. This was not as violent as it had been with Solitaire. This time, the magic formed a mist that spread from her hand and over Yugi's face. The Hikari gave a surprised then dazed expression that slowly faded as his eyes became dull and seemingly empty. A few seconds more and his head dropped as he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Soon all that kept Yugi standing were the two guards who had captured him when he tried to help Solitaire.

"All right, we've got what we came for. Captain, have your guards take him to the holding cell that I've had prepared. Keep him there and make sure that no harm befalls him until I've finished with the rest of my preparations," Miaka ordered.

"As you wish, Mistress," the captain said, motioning for his troops to carry the unconscious light and follow him.

Nearby, Solitaire could only watch in horror as they carried her friend away. She tried to struggle against the spell which held her down but it was in vain. Whatever magic they had cast upon her, it held fast. Her struggles did nothing but remind her powerless she was in this situation. All she could do was watch as a portal opened in the middle of the path and Yugi disappear into its depths with his captors.

A shadow fell over Solitaire as the brute known as Gil blocked off her view. He glared down at the dragon with undisguised glee and anticipation. One could almost see the gears grinding in his head as he thought of the possibilities that might lie ahead of him in the short time ahead.

"What should we do with the dragon, Mistress?" Gil asked.

Waving her hand absently, Miaka yawned," Do whatever you want. I have no use for such a pitiful little waste of scales."

"As you wish, Mistress," Gil smirked.

Miaka didn't hear him. Now that Yugi had been secured, she had other matters to attend to. So she turned without a second glance back and headed towards another portal which she had opened. The soldiers that had remained behind followed behind her, soon leaving only Gil and Solitaire in the garden.


	15. The search is on

Chapter 14: The search is on

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, only my original creations. So no sue please.

A/N: Well, I owe all my readers a big apology. More than two years since my last update and over a year since I promised the last one. For that, I'm truly sorry. Thanks a very special reader, I've gotten back on track again after sorting out my personal problems. Light's Sojourn is now back in full production and I plan to have at least two more chapters out before Christmas, hopefully three if all goes right. I'm hoping to finish this one soon and get on with some other projects that I have on hold, including Ignorance is Never Bliss. With that one, I am planning a complete overhaul of the entire story. I have the entire plotline worked out and hope to get that off ground before the end of the year. Again, I want to thank everyone for their patience and I hope that you stick with this just a little bit longer.

Waiting was always the hardest thing to do, especially when concern for a friend weighs heavy on one's heart. After Solitaire's departure, the others had sat in nervous silence. Anzu had tried to start up a conversation once or twice, but it was only met with more silence. No one was really in the mood to talk right now, even if it were just to pass the time until dragon and hikari returned again. They were all just too worried about what was happening with Yugi right now.

It was still hard for any of them to believe that Yugi had kept this sort of thing from them. Even if they hadn't known each other for all that long in the grand scheme of things, any one of them would have thought he would have trusted them enough to talk about his troubles. Then again, they had to remember that Yugi wasn't a typical case. He wasn't even human. Though he might see them as his friends, he more than likely saw his problems beyond their scope of understanding. It wouldn't be the first time when it came to anything concerning the Shadow Realm.

And as much as they might want to understand that right now, all of them knew that it was best for them to remain where they were for now. It was difficult to remain behind as Solitaire had requested though. Each and every one of them, even Kaiba though he might not admit to it, was getting restless. As each moment wore on, they wanted more and more to go and check up on their two friends. But each time one of them started to find some excuse to go and check on the pair, the dragon's words came chiming back into their heads. So they continued to wait until nearly an hour had passed.

By that time, each of them was getting the sickening feeling that something was wrong. They should have seen at least some sign of hikari and dragon by this point, even if it were just to go back to Yugi's room. Solitaire was good enough at persuasion that she should have been able to manage that with Yugi by now. Yet that didn't seem to be the case as there was nothing but silence from the doorway that the two had exited out of earlier.

Finally, Honda said," I don't like this. I know Solitaire said to give her some time, but it's been too long. Maybe we oughta go check on them or something."

"Y-yeah," Anzu agreed," I mean, Yugi didn't look so good and even if Solitaire can calm him down, they might need some help getting him upstairs."

That was all it really took to get everyone going. Almost as one, Anzu and the boys, save Kaiba, practically bolted out the door. The latter came as well, though not as quickly. Though he was getting worried as well, he did have a bit more faith in what Solitaire had told them. She had handled herself well enough in the past that he knew that she could handle any argument with Yugi, no matter how unruly a mood he might seem to be in.

It took them a little while to search out the garden where Yugi and Solitaire might have hidden themselves. They all knew how much Yugi loved to explore the garden and how he had found most of the alcoves whenever he went on one of his expeditions. Sometimes Jou thought that the hikari knew the gardens better than the actual house residents did. He always seemed to be able to pick out spots that no one would have considered. So it wouldn't have surprised him at least if Yugi had chosen way out of the way alcove that none of them knew about.

When they were about halfway through the garden, Mokuba remembered the particular that Yugi favored in that area. Thinking it best to continue their search from there, the others followed his advice. It was what they found upon rounding the corner that both startled and enraged them. There lay a prone Solitaire with no sign of Yugi in sight. Above her stood the ugliest little brute that any of them had ever seen. In its claws, the creature held a bust, which it seemed to be aiming towards Solitaire's head.

That was all it took for Jou. With a loud battle cry, Jou launched himself at the stranger. So focused on his task of torturing Solitaire, the intruder had little time to anything other than turn to see just what was coming his way. The next thing he knew, the wind was being knocked out of him as Jou landed his full weight on the intruder. The bust landed with a hard thump off to the side, landing just beyond the bench where Yugi had been sitting earlier. Jou then proceeded to land a few punches for good measure, just to show this stranger who was boss. It all happened so quickly that Jou neither truly realized what he was attacking nor did his intended punching bag react until a few moments after the fact.

By the time the little toad did start to fight back, reinforcements had already arrived. Honda didn't take the extreme like Jou had, but he was ready with a punch or two of his own before helping his friend to pin the other down. It wasn't easy though. Even if the stranger still had a hard time against the weight of two full sized humans, he still put up a good fight. He snarled and spit at them, trying to free his arms so that he could stake a swipe at them. When Jou and Honda weren't trying to keep him pinned, they were trying to avoid the spikes near his shoulders.

"Release me, pathetic humans, or suffer the wrath of Gil!" he croaked.

"Not on your life, fly breath," Honda grunted as he and Jou struggled to keep Gil under control.

Behind them, the others were seeing to Solitaire. None of them were sure why she hadn't responded yet. When Seto reached down and took hold of her, he could feel the warmth still beneath her scales. There was a strong, steady heartbeat when he felt for a pulse and breath when he put a hand on her snout. Those were more than enough signs to tell them that she was still alive. It was just for some reason, she wasn't able to move.

"What's wrong with her, Seto?" Mokuba asked cautiously.

"I'm not sure, Mokuba, but it's probably more of that magic mumbo jumbo. Whatever's been used on her, it won't let her move," Seto responded.

While the Kaiba brothers tended to the dragon, Anzu had gone to help the others. While they struggled to keep Gil under control, she had ripped a garden hose from its housing and brought it over. With that, they were able to tie Gil down and keep him under better control. Of course, that was after they managed to slip the rubber around those spikes of his. Each time they tried, it seemed that they would cut right through the hose. It was only when they settled for simply hogtieing the little toad that things were easier to manage.

"Okay you, start talkin'. What's wrong with Solitaire and where's Yugi?" Jou demanded.

Gil just snapped and hissed again. He wriggled around, trying to free himself from his bonds. It didn't get him far and Jou offered a sharp kick to the side when Gil got a little too close to the others. That probably wasn't the best course of action to take, given how the wannabe toad was their only source of information at the moment. Jou however, was starting to get more than a little aggravated with this particular prisoner.

Not that it really mattered if Gil answered Jou's questions or not. About now, Seto could feel as Solitaire was starting to move again. It was slight at first, just claws and maybe her tail tip, but she was starting to regain mobility in her body again. That was a sure sign that whatever spell had been cast on her was finally beginning to wear off at last. For the dragon, that told her that she had been hit with a milder spell than a full blast. Otherwise, she knew she probably wouldn't be moving for days.

The others didn't know that of course. They still had no idea what was going on. All they knew was that Yugi was gone and that Solitaire was alone with some disgusting creature that called itself Gil. And since Gil wasn't forthcoming with any information besides how much the humans would pay for taking him captive, the only one who could give them any answers was Solitaire. Until the spell wore off completely however, they were pretty much stuck. So all they could do was watch and wait as the dragon slowly started to move again as she got control back.

"Raawr!" Solitaire growled," That witch is dead when I get my claws on her!"

"All right, dragon, spill. What's going on? Where's Yugi?" Seto demanded as he set Solitaire on her feet.

Her head hanging in shame, Solitaire moaned," I don't know. They took her. That witch and her cronies took him."

"What witch, Solitaire?" Anzu pressed.

"Some lady named Miaka. She said she was from the Abyss and that she was looking for a hikari for some reason. That's why she zapped me and took Yugi," the dragon answered.

"Of course she took the Hikari. Mistress seeks to be the most powerful, as is her right. She will take his magic and he will be dead when she is done. Then nothing will stand in her way," Gil cackled.

Shock and disbelief ran through the group at hearing this. They may not have known the reason why someone would want to kidnap Yugi, but none of them would have suspected his death would be involved. Each had come to accept the fact that regardless of his appearance, Yugi would not fade from the world as they knew it. He was eternal, destined to be there alongside his shadow lover. The thought of anyone being able to kill him just didn't fit for the humans.

For their dragon companion though, the thought did more than just shock her. Unlike the others, she knew that even a hikari was vulnerable to a few things. Such forces were just so far and in-between, that under most circumstances she wouldn't give them any thought. After all, with a yami constantly on guard of their hikari, why was there any reason to worry? A yami would take care of anything that dared to come near his light before there was any real chance of threat. At least, under most conditions that was the case but this time, it wasn't.

"You bastard!" Solitaire snarled as she leapt upon Gil and started shredding at him with the claws and fangs.

The stunned group of humans made no move to intervene and that was probably for the best. Once a dragon, regardless of size, has been angered, there is nothing in all the realms that could stand in their way until their wrath is satisfied. If anything stood in their way, be it friend or foe, the same wrath would fall upon whatever had stepped into the dragon's path. It was a harsh truth but one that was accepted when it came to dragons, who were creatures that lived by their own rules.

At the same time however, Solitaire couldn't be allowed to kill Gil. Regardless of her feelings towards him, he was still the only clue that they had at the moment to Yugi's location. Without him, there was little to no chance of finding the hikari before the unthinkable happened. So even if they all might have felt some urge to let Solitaire have her way with Gil and rip him to shreds, for the moment, that had to be put on hold. For the time being, they needed him alive.

"Solitaire stop!" Honda ordered.

"Enough's enough, ya overgrown sparkplug. Just back off for a bit," Jou demanded.

Claws raking across Gil's temple, Solitaire merely hissed in response. Her mind was so bent on revenge at this point that she didn't see reason the way that the humans did. Right now, she only cared to make her prey suffered as he had tried to do to her and her master. For a dragon, it was only fitting to do so.

"Solitaire, you have to stop. If you kill him, then we won't be able to find Yugi. He's gonna die if you don't quit it," Anzu protested.

That was all it took. Upon realizing that her friend's life depended on the pathetic waste of flesh she was tearing apart, Solitaire ceased her attack. With a final swipe of her claws across Gil's face, she backed away and let the wounded creature be. He was alive and nowhere near dead yet, but the damage that he had received at the dragon's claws would always remain. In her rage, she had torn away great strips of his skin and torn deep into the muscle tissue of his face and upper torso. Blood flowed freely from where he had been bitten, electrified and clawed, though none of them made any move to tend the injuries.

Though it was normally not in their nature to leave someone wounded as Gil was, the humans knew that he had earned the fate that Solitaire had bestowed. He had helped to bring about harm to someone that meant no ill towards others, taking him from those that were companions and protectors. So as he lay there, moaning in pain, none of them moved to help him. Instead, they just stood back, allowing Solitaire to growl and hiss at her former victim, knowing that if he tried to escape, that the dragon would be all over him before he could move far.

"I should kill you for daring to even look at my Master, but there's someone coming who'll take care of you even better than I could. Let's see if you're still snickering about what your stupid Mistress Miaka will do to Yugi after Yami-sama's done with you," Solitaire snarled.

Any retorts that Gil might have wheezed out were lodged in his throat when he heard that threat. For all the damage that she had just done to him, Gil didn't fear Solitaire. If it served his Mistress's cause, then he was more than willing to endure the punishment. That was how it had always been, even if it cost him his life. After all, even if she went that far, he would be back sooner or later like he always was. Even with that assurance, there was at least one thing that Gil wasn't willing to risk even for Miaka though and that was his soul. Of course, that was exactly what he would lose if he was questioned and punished by a yami. Even a creature from the Abyss had something to fear from the purest form of darkness itself. Once someone was taken by that, there was no hope of recovery after that.

"W-what?" Gil wheezed out weakly.

"You heard me, you sniveling piece of waste. Nothing I do will even begin to compare to what Yami-sama will do once he gets hold of you. You'll be lucky if he leaves a grease stain where you once were," Solitaire replied.

Trembling, Gil tried to gulp down his panic. Now he knew that he was truly in for it. He knew that what Solitaire was true. Her powers were nothing next to her master's lover, who was known as the strongest of the yamis inhabiting the Shadow Realm. Even the creatures in the furthest reaches of the Abyss had heard of Yami, the one who was often nicknamed the King of Games and the Pharaoh for his strength and prowess. Once he got his hands on Gil, there was no chance of escape, even if Miaka herself came back for him.

Like the sniveling coward that he was, Gil began whining and begging for his life once the realization had set in. He had no desire for his soul to fade. At least while that was around, he would be able to return to the Abyss where his body would eventually reform. For that was the one benefit that creatures of his realm had over others. While their bodies might die for a time, so long as the soul remained, then they would be able to return. That was why no creature from the Abyss feared death. It was not an obstacle for them as it was for others. If the soul was lost however, then any chance of return was null and void.

Both humans and dragon watched Gil with renewed disgust. It was bad enough that he had helped to capture their friend, but now he didn't even have the dignity to take the consequences of his actions. Instead he just lay there, hogtied with a garden hose, making more of a mess of himself than he already was. It was enough to make even Anzu, who usually had more sympathy for others than her friends, want to vomit.

That did raise a new concern for the group though. Solitaire had mentioned that Yami was coming to Earth. As far as anyone knew, he had no idea where that was. He didn't even know that Yugi and Solitaire were even here. All they knew was that Yami had started to look for Yugi, which had just led to this fiasco and the little one's capture. So to hear the dragon mention his impeding arrival raised more than one eyebrow on the subject.

"Wait, did you just say that Yami is coming to Earth?" Seto asked.

"Yes," Solitaire answered.

"How can you be sure that Yami's coming to Earth, Solitaire? You and Yugi both said that he doesn't know where you are. He's been looking but can't find you because Yugi kept blocking him," Mokuba protested.

"He said that it was faint, but Yugi was feeling Yami-sama pressing hard against the barrier he put in their link. He knows that Yugi is gone and he's starting to look for him. It's only a matter of time before he figures out that he came to Earth," Solitaire explained quickly.

"Any idea how long before he gets here?" Anzu asked.

"Not a clue. I just know that it'll be sometime soon if he's just now started to break through the mental barriers. Most of the time, if there's a mental barrier between them, a yami and a hikari will respect that because it means their partner wants some privacy. But sometimes, the yamis decide to break through the barrier because they feel that their hikari is in danger and want to find them quickly," Solitaire said.

"And since Yugi is probably unconscious or hurt, he won't have the strength to keep up the barrier anymore. Which means that it's going to fall and Yami will be able to read his mind again," Seto stated.

"Almost," nodded Solitaire," The problem is, when Yugi is unconscious, Yami-sama can't pick up on his exact location. The best he'll be able to do is to pick out what part of the link is open and use that to hone in on Yugi's general location."

"Wait a second. How come he can't pick up on Yugi's location when he's unconscious? I'd think that would make it easier to find him," Honda protested.

"Simple. When he's out cold, Yugi isn't picking up any information. He's pretty much dead to the world until he comes to. So how can Yami-sama know anything when there's nothing for him to see?" Solitaire replied.

Glancing from one to the other, the humans guessed that made sense. It certainly wasn't possible to think about anything while you were out cold. The only thing that you might even think about in that state was how much of a headache you might get from being knocked out. Other than that, everything would be a jumble at best.

"Besides, even if Yugi is the one he's looking for but he's not the first one Yami-sama's going to find. That's going to be me," Solitaire said.

"Why's that? I thought he was more concerned for Yugi," Anzu said.

"He is. It's just gonna be easier for him to find me. I'm a Shadow Realm dragon, remember? We practically scream dark energy when we're not in our natural realm. Since a Hikari is a creature of light, in a place like this, their energy signatures are toned down in comparison to everything else. That's why my energy will probably catch Yami-sama's attention as soon as he gets here. He'll assume that I know where Yugi is and come looking for me," Solitaire snorted.

"Okay so Yami's gonna be able to find you. Ain't that gonna be a good thing? I mean, with him around, we can find Yug' a whole lot faster than we could alone," Jou protested.

"No, it's the worst thing that could happen to us. We're dead if we don't find Yugi before Yami-sama gets here," Solitaire snapped.

"Why?" Jou demanded.

An enraged snarl escaped Solitaire at this. She honestly didn't know if the humans were playing dumb or if they were just trying to avoid the inevitable. After all that she had told them, they should have known that Yami coming here was a bad thing. He was power incarnate. There was nothing on this Earth that would be able to stand up to him if he unleashed his full powers. It was a disaster just waiting to happen if that came to pass.

"Let me put this in a way even a dumbass dog like YOU can understand, Jonouchi Katsuya," Solitaire growled," If we don't find Yugi before Yami-sama shows up, then we may as well kiss existence as we know it good-bye because we'll all be as good as dead."

"What do you mean we can kiss existence good-bye?" Seto demanded.

"Like I just said, no Yugi means we kiss this existence good-bye. Our souls will be dust in the wind along with everyone else on this planet once Yami-sama's done and that's if we're lucky. Otherwise, it's complete obliteration," Solitaire hissed.

"Come on. This Yami guy might be strong, but no one has that much power. It's impossible, right?" Honda joked half-heartedly.

"Oh really? Well think of something with a thousand times the force of one your atomic bombs, only its got a really bad attitude, a relentless urge to kill anyone and anything that gets in the way, and enough shadow magic to shatter this rock of a planet into a billion pieces. That's how bad one guy can be," Solitaire snapped.

That description certainly cut out any further jokes that Honda or anyone else might have made. From what Yugi and Solitaire had previously told them, they knew that Yami was not someone to be trifled with. If Yugi's powers were any indication of how strong light magic could be, then they knew that Yami's had to be immense as well. Not a fact to be scoffed, especially in their present situation. A situation that they were all starting to realize could actually turn lethal for their entire world if nothing was done.

"Hey, we're Yugi's friends. Maybe he'll listen to what we say," Anzu said hopefully.

Solitaire just snorted at the very concept. She couldn't believe that anyone could propose such an outlandish idea, even a human. There was no way in all the realms that an enraged yami would listen to anything that a few humans had to say, even if they were his hikari's friends. If anything, that just put them at the top of the hit list for having been the last ones in contact with the hikari before something bad happened.

"Do you honestly believe that Yami-sama cares about what any of you have to say?" she scoffed," If you do, then you're more of a baka than I thought. As far as Yami-sama's concerned, mortals like you have less worth than the dirt beneath our feet. All that matters to him is his hikari and everything else can just disappear into oblivion. He won't listen to reason anymore than Kaiba would let himself be used as someone's pawn."

That declaration, like so much today, didn't set well with the humans. Never once did they think that their world would ever be endangered by associating with the little Hikari and his dragon. Of course, they never would have thought that anyone would go out of their way to capture the light either. This whole situation was steadily growing out of control. It was enough to make one wonder how their lives had even come to this point.

Further discussion on the matter was soon lost however. Solitaire let out a deep hiss, scrambling up to Honda's shoulder as darkness began to descend on them. Everyone gathered closer and gaped as a deep mist began to form around them, blocking out all light and sense of the world around them. A mixture of black and purple swirls that seemed in constant motion, the mist crackled and hissed with bits of lightening that greatly resembled the sparks that Solitaire often gave off. The difference with this was the deep oppression that seemed to flow from the mist. The kind that not only dragged down the heart, but the soul as well.

"What's going on?!" Anzu cried, huddling behind Jou.

"We just got screwed," Solitaire gulped as shadows finally engulfed them all.

A/N: And there it is. I'm not totally satisfied with this chapter, but I think it will do for now. I'm already working on the next one and hopefully that will be out before the deadline. If not, then I'll let Yami Marik dye my hair neon pink or something. Until then, hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	16. Mediocre Introductions

Chapter 15: Mediocre Introductions

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: This was originally going to be a much longer chapter, but due to my grandfather's recent stay in the hospital, I decided to cut it a bit short in order to make the Christmas deadline I promised. This is the first 2/3 of the original chapter. The remaining portion is being formatted to be a chapter all its own. Either way, hope you all enjoy and sorry for the delay.

The constant swirls of blacks and purples were almost sickening to many members of the group. Anzu, Jou, and Kaiba all felt their stomachs turning slightly at the constant motion. Honda just lost it completely, as he was already off to one side emptying his stomach of its contents. For Solitaire though, it was a mixed reaction. She was glad to see a sight that she had known all her life for the first time in weeks but its sudden presence also meant that trouble had found them.

The appearance of the Shadows meant that Yami had indeed come to Earth and that they were in for it now. Solitaire knew Yami well enough that he would be in a foul mood from her and Yugi's disappearance and then having to track them down. In fact, she was more than certain that he would be downright livid at the whole thing. Nothing overly new there with how he reacted towards her sure, but this was major. Now Yugi's life was hanging in the balance and the only one who had any real hope of finding him was the person that they were soon going to face.

She dropped out of her thoughts as she glanced back at her companions. Despite her worry, Solitaire was a bit curious to an extent of just how the humans would take to this new development. Though they had been told many times about what Shadows were and how they looked, actually seeing something alien was an entirely different matter from mere description. The smell from Honda's vomit already told his reaction to the Shadows. So that was one human down. Now she just to see how the other four were holding up to this situation.

Mokuba, understandably, hid behind his older brother. For a youngster, Solitaire figured that was normal enough. Youngsters always did seem to have a fear of the unknown, no matter how well founded. His older brother just watched the Shadows impassively while still keeping an unconscious protective stance near his brother. Anzu was at Honda's side, trying to coax him back into standing. All the while she watched the shadows just as fearfully as Mokuba, uncertain of what lay ahead of them.

The last of them, Jou, was the problem. Whether it was from natural human curiosity or his own natural lapse in judgment, he seemed brave enough to chance the Shadows' touch. Tentatively, he stood away from the still bleeding and beaten Gil and reached out a hand towards the Shadows.

"Don't touch them," Solitaire barked.

Jou pulled his hand back instantly. He looked back to Solitaire, who was scrambling over to put herself between the human and the Shadows. Her tail briefly brushed a few wispy strands that floated away from the main body but she paid them no mind. She knew that unlike the humans, the Shadows would not harm her. After all, why would they harm a creature that had been born from them? There would be no point.

"You listen and you listen well, Jonouchi Katsuya. I told you before that these Shadows are dangerous. Touch them and your soul's gonna rot for eternity in the darkness. You're nothing but a snack to them. Don't tempt fate unless you wanna be Shadow fodder," Solitaire snarled.

Her words were harsh, but she really didn't care anymore. This day had already gone bad enough and the last thing that she needed to do was keep babysitting a bunch of ignorant humans. From all that she had told them, they should have known by now that there were just certain things that one didn't touch. One of which happened to be when strange substances and objects just appeared out of nowhere. It was just too much of a risk since no one could really tell what might happen with such things.

"Come on, this stuff ain't that dangerous. Is it?" Jou asked.

"She speaks the truth, human. Touching the Shadows is to risk your own soul if you are not of their Realm. So it would be wise to keep your distance unless you wish for an eternity of torment," a voice said coldly from the darkness.

All heads turned towards one area of particularly violent shadows that seemed a bit different from the rest. These shadows split, allowing a passageway to form. From within this, a tall figure appeared. He was dressed in dark armor similar in color to the shadows surrounding him. In his hand, he held a long staff of the same hue. His face was as impassive as stone, though his eyes danced with a deep wariness and seeming annoyance. He was a stranger to all save one, but they each knew who he was immediately.

"Damn," Honda breathed.

"The Dark Magician," Seto breathed," One of the strongest spellcasters in Duel Monsters."

"He's also Yami-sama's personal bodyguard and one of the biggest pains in the ass this side of the Shadow Realm," Solitaire snorted.

Her words drew the newcomer's gaze downward. The moment his eyes locked onto Solitaire, Dark Magician's entire demeanor changed. He went from being completely stoic and seemingly cold to just plain annoyed and almost relaxed. Not to the point where he would drop his guard completely of course, that was just out of the question. But he seemed to be more at ease now that there was someone he knew present among the group of strange humans.

"I never thought it would be possible, but I suppose that I was wrong. Being in the Human Realm has made you more impudent than ever, underling," Dark Magician said coolly.

"Or maybe your wit's just getting duller, wand boy," Solitaire countered.

From that the pair started to argue with a familiar sense of disgust and ease that was watched by a group of very stunned humans. They honestly couldn't believe what was happening. Here was a smart-mouthed runt bickering with one of the strongest Duel Monsters possible like they were both little children. It was inconceivable that this scene could be going on right in front of them. Yet there they were, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

For some though, that was still just pressing the matter too far. Having played Duel Monsters for a good part of his life, Seto knew how strong the card was. The real thing, if the description that Solitaire had often given of her fellow Monsters was true, had to be more than powerful enough to wipe out a few measly humans. So it probably wasn't the best idea to get on his bad side, given the circumstances. That was bound to happen if Solitaire kept up like she was doing.

"Will you just shut up for once?! I swear you're trying to get us all killed," Kaiba demanded.

"What is it now, Kaiba?" Solitaire snorted, glancing back at him almost carelessly.

"Are you out of your mind? You're arguing with someone who could turn you into a pile of ash," Seto hissed.

"Shows you how much you know, Kaiba Seto. This guy and I fight like this all the time. It's how we get through the day. But even if did he hate my guts, he couldn't lay a hand on me anyhow," she replied.

The human looked at the dragon skeptically. With Solitaire, he could never really tell just what he should believe when she told him something. Sometimes, she had a way of messing with his head just for the fun of it. She had certainly done so on more than one occasion during her stay in his home. Given the current situation, he didn't think that even she would sink so low as to pull a prank now. Even Solitaire had to be above that sort of thing. Still, one had to wonder with her sometimes.

"And how can you be so sure of that? He's the Dark Magician, you're just an annoying oversized battery charger," Kaiba retorted.

"I told you before that I belong to Yugi. He's the only one who can decide if I need to be punished or something. Same thing goes with wand boy here and Yami-sama," Solitaire replied.

"That is true, but the same cannot be said for this lot. I spared you from the Shadows' touch before because I have no reason to shed innocent blood, even that of minor beings such as yourselves. So I suggest that you tread lightly in how you address me, humans. I do not appreciate those that say my name out of turn," Dark Magician warned, raising his now glowing staff in emphasis.

"Don't even think about it, wand boy. They're Yugi's friends. Hurt them and you're signing your own death warrant," Solitaire hissed.

The instant she said those words, the Dark Magician lowered his staff, though somewhat reluctantly. He had truly looked as if he had wished to teach the insolent humans a lesson in respect. There was nothing that he despised more than those that didn't under the necessity of order and status. To him it was just a sign of how crude and uncivilized some species were when it came to dealing with their peers or superiors.

"Uh, not that I'm complaining, but why can't he hurt us?" Honda asked.

"Since you guys are friends with Yugi, that means you're like me. You're his property, to an extent, which means that no matter how much he might want to, wand boy here can't lay a finger on you, physical, mental or magical. He does, it means Yugi gets upset and a certain someone's gonna get fried by Yami-sama," she sneered.

Even Kaiba looked stunned at that information. They had known from all the descriptions they had heard that Yami was overprotective of Yugi and that he never allowed insult to his hikari. None of had thought that such behavior might extend to harming someone as close to him as the Dark Magician, who was his own personal bodyguard. That sort of behavior was extreme in all their books' but Kaiba's, though he would never say as much.

"I thought you said that Yugi wasn't speaking to Yami," Anzu said.

"I did. Just because they had a spat doesn't mean Yami-sama will let anyone upset his lover," she shrugged.

"For once," Dark Magician sighed," Solitaire is speaking the truth. Anything that displeases Yugi-sama will also displease Yami-sama and only a fool would wish for that to happen."

"Hmm. Couldn't have said it better myself," Solitaire snorted.

"No one asked you to, pest. Now tell me where is Yugi-sama? Yami-sama is anxious to meet with him as soon as possible," Dark Magician said.

At that, Solitaire fell strangely silent. This was part of the reason why she had feared being found by Yami and the others. Not only because of the trouble it was sure to cause, but just having to break the news to them. She was not afraid to admit that she had failed in her duties to protect her Master. That was something she would never shirk away from. No, what scared her was just breaking the news that the beloved Hikari had been stolen away in the first place.

"Well out with it. Where is Yugi-sama?" Dark Magician demanded.

"I don't know," Solitaire said weakly.

"Don't know? What do you mean you don't know?" Dark Magician echoed," You are Yugi-sama's personal attendant. You are to know where your Master is at all times."

"I don't know where he is because he was taken," Solitaire answered.

"TAKEN?!" Dark Magician screamed.

Everyone winced at the sound, though no one more than Solitaire. Her ears flattened against her skull in both shame and pain as the sound reverberated around them. She had known that this was coming but that didn't make it any easier to handle. She knew how much the other Monsters cared for the little hikari, even if they were not always around him. He was a pure soul that provided balance in their lives in more ways than one, the gentle spirit that always seemed to have a kind word for even the clumsiest of servants. Yugi was Yami's greatest love, but for the Monsters that served them both, he was the greatest treasure possible.

When the others besides Dark Magician learned of what had happened, she was prepared to face their anger. It was the least that she deserved for failing her Master. The pain from that and losing her dearest friend were still gnawing at her even now. Hearing the Dark Magician react like this only helped to reaffirm what she already felt.

"Yes. He was taken," Solitaire repeated.

"You IDIOT! Your first and only duty is to protect your Master at any cost, including giving your own life!" Dark Magician snarled.

"Don't you think that I know that?" Solitaire growled back, finally getting some of her courage back," And don't you think I would do more than just sit around and let him be taken without a fight?"

"Then why didn't you?" Dark Magician demanded.

"That stupid witch used some kind of freezing spell. It totally froze me. I couldn't move, let alone use my magic or my claws to defend him. All I could do was watch as they took him away," Solitaire explained.

Her head dropped in shame as she spoke. To her friends, seeing her look so defeated was heartbreaking. She seemed to lose that vital spark that made her who she was when she acted like this. It looked as if she had let the entire world down through one happenstance that wasn't truly her fault. At least, that was the way Anzu saw things at this point.

Unlike Dark Magician, Anzu wasn't about ready to play the 'blame game' with anyone right now. Knowing Solitaire as she did, the teenage girl knew that the dragon would never have allowed Yugi into harm's way if it could be helped. Solitaire cared far too much for Yugi to voluntarily let that happened. It had to take something major to get in the dragon's way for anyone to even get close to Yugi, let alone actually take him. And in Anzu's book, being outnumbered four to one and then being frozen by some kind of magic spell fell into that category.

Screwing up her own courage, she stepped away from the others and marched right up the two Monsters. Placing herself between a surprised Solitaire and a bemused Dark Magician, Anzu took on a stance that her friends knew all too well. Left hand planted firmly on her hip and her right hand pointing an enraged index finger at the victim. Yep, she was definitely about to head into lecture mode again. It was how she often scolded Jou and Honda whenever they did something stupid or when she was preparing to defend someone from others.

"Just stop it. Solitaire tried her best to help Yugi. That should be enough for you. She would never do anything to put Yugi in danger, but you're acting like she did this on purpose," Anzu scolded.

Dark Magician eyed this human female carefully. She certainly had courage, he was willing to give her that much. There were few in her position that would be willing to stand up to him like this. Most would be doing as the first human male had and tried to keep their distance. At the same time however, he had neither the time nor the patience to listen whatever she was jabbering on about. If Yugi had been taken, then they needed to start searching and quickly. Time was steadily running out for them all and things would only get worse the longer the hikari was missing.

"Stay out of this, human. It does not concern you," Dark Magician warned.

"Yes it does, y-you hotheaded jerk," Anzu snapped.

Now that certainly took everyone by surprise, especially Dark Magician. He was used to Solitaire insulting him. That was something that she had done since the first day that they had met so many centuries before. A few of his enemies resorted to that behavior too, but only when they were trying to break his concentration. To have a human call him something that though, that was something of a novelty for the Monster. It had him wondering if members of this species were truly brave or just incredibly stupid.

Anzu's friends seemed to go along with the latter. Kaiba just smacked his forehead while Honda groaned about how they were all gonna die now. Jou rushed forward, barely managing to avoid tripping over a stunned Solitaire. He pulled Anzu back, knocking her off guard for a moment. It was all he needed to get her attention solely on him for a moment.

"Anzu, do you realize what he can do to you if you piss him off enough? It's not gonna matter if Yug' gets upset. You're gonna be a grease smear," Jou hissed.

"I don't care who he is. If he keeps treating Solitaire like this, I'm going to clock him one," Anzu snorted.

Dark Magician again looked at the girl in surprise. It was the first time in many centuries that someone of weaker strength had even dared to glance his way in anger. Most in his world had long since learned that it was not wise to tangle with the Dark Magician if they lacked the power to do so. But this creature, who was obviously aware of the kind of power that he had, did not care in the least. She was still willing to challenge him over Solitaire's honor. Not something he saw everyday, considering both how the dragon never made any good impressions and that someone was actually standing up for her.

Glancing at the dragon, Dark Magician said," You seemed to have picked up some worthwhile companions for a change, pest. They actually seem willing to risk themselves for you, though I'm not sure if it's true bravery or just ignorance."

"You never can tell with humans, but at least they're loyal," Solitaire shrugged.

"Perhaps, but that does not change the situation. Yugi-sama is gone and from what you have said, it will prove difficult to locate him," Dark Magician said.

"Maybe not," Solitaire replied," I just said I didn't know where he was taken. That doesn't mean we don't have a lead."

"She's right. We don't know where Yugi is, but this creep does. His boss is the one that took the twerp and put that spell on Solitaire," Kaiba agreed as he kicked Gil into full view.

"He was gonna do Solitaire in but we stopped'em before he could," Jou added.

Until now, the little brute had remained largely unforgotten. If not for the Shadows, he might have used this as a chance to escape. After all, a sharp rock or an uninterrupted chance to use his teeth would be enough to sever his bonds. Then he could be on his way back to his Mistress. Yet even Gil wasn't stupid enough to try and bypass the Shadows surrounding them. One touch and he knew his soul would be swallowed up for sure.

His situation wasn't improved with all the attention suddenly back on him again. If anything, it was about to make his life a whole lot worse. The wounds that he had received from Solitaire earlier were nothing compared to the magic blast that Dark Magician suddenly aimed at him. Wounds of flesh were one thing, but having magical energy pulse through him as it was now was a different story.

"Damn! Watch where you're aiming," Kaiba snapped, pushing Mokuba out of the way when the magical sparks flew too close for comfort.

"Yeah, we're on your side," Honda protested.

Ignoring the protesting humans, Dark Magician demanded," I will only ask you this once. Where has your mistress taken Yugi-sama?"

At first, the only answer he received was an insane shriek from Gil. The toad creature twisted and writhed against the magic that now coursed through his body. His earlier wounds, which had finally stopped bleeding, started to bleed anew from all the moving around he was doing. Yet all this did was make it worse, as Dark Magician merely lowered his staff to Gil and allowed another magic blast to fire into the captive.

"Answer me!" Dark Magician ordered.

Again, only another shriek. Sighing in frustration, Dark Magician waved his staff a third time and dispersed the magic. Gil lay trembling on the ground, chattering almost incoherently from the pain he was now in. It was a sight that Dark Magician looked at with utter disgust.

"Nice going. You just fried our only lead," Jou snorted.

"As long as he lives, then we will have a source. If he will not talk, then Yami-sama can deal with him directly. He can get the information that we seek without any trouble," Dark Magician said.

"You know we're not gonna have anything left after that," Solitaire warned.

"After what this creature has helped to do, would it really matter?" Dark Magician asked.

"Not really," the dragon shrugged.

"Then I believe it's time we go. We've wasted enough time as it is and Yami-sama must be informed immediately," Dark Magician said.

"Let's go then!" Anzu said.

"And what makes you think that you're going anywhere?" Dark Magician replied.

"Yugi's our pal. If he's in trouble, then we're gonna help," Jou said firmly.

Almost biting back a laugh, Dark Magician said," You can't be serious?"

"Oh believe me, they are. Normally I'd agree with you on this one, but we're gonna need all the help we can get. These guys are better than you think," Solitaire insisted.

"Very well, you may come but I suggest that you hold your tongues. Yami-sama is not in a pleasant mood and may react other than he normally would," the Dark Magician warned.

"He's never in a pleasant mood," Solitaire pointed out.

The Dark Magician glared at her, but said nothing. For once, though silently, a part of him was agreeing with at least part of what the little Monster had said. Since he had first started to feel the link strain and then discovered his hikari's absence, Yami-sama had grown increasingly difficult to deal with. He was no longer the rational person that he had been and was now becoming more feral by the moment. It seemed like a miracle to the Dark Magician that Yami had managed to last this long without losing his mind.

How long it would remain so was a mystery though. Dark Magician knew that they were walking a fine line right now. Each passing moment without Yugi brought Yami closer to permanent insanity. Once that happened, there was no way of telling if there would ever be a way to bring him back. All that was certain was there only destruction would reign in this realm and the Shadow Realm once Yami lost control of himself. On Earth at least, such a thing would end all for sure.

Though he had no concern for this realm or any beyond his own home, Dark Magician had no desire to see his master sink to such a level. So he would do whatever it took to ensure that Yugi was found quickly and reunited with the dark one. That was why he had been hopeful when they had sensed Solitaire's dark energy. Surely she would be with the hikari or at least have some idea where he was. Which was why he enveloped her within the shadows so quickly, it was the fastest way to transport her back to where he was. Bringing the humans here had been something of an afterthought, for like he had already told them, he had no desire to harm them.

Now though, he was going to have to deal with them whether he wanted to or not. He was unsure if that was a wise decision, but maybe they could prove of use. After all, they had managed to care for a hikari for this long and until his capture, had supposedly proven to be effective guardians. As he cast the spell that would take them back to where Yami-sama and the others waited, Dark Magician just hoped that this group would have enough wits to keep themselves alive in the presence of a dark spirit that was slowly but surely losing his mind.

A/N: I'll admit that I'm not overly satisfied with this chapter. It came out rushed in some areas, but I'll probably go back and fix those later. For now, I hope that you enjoyed this mish-mash and that you'll bear with me a bit longer. Next chapter, which will hopefully be out before the New Year, we finally get down to the confrontation between Yami and Solitaire. Oy vey. ~


	17. Yami Comes to Town

Chapter 16: Yami Comes to Town

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: Good lord it's been awhile since I pulled a stint like this. It's almost 5 in the morning and I can't sleep. May as well get something productive done while I'm at it. Due to me being tired, I think that some of this chapter might be a bit jumbled in some places. I plan to go back and edit later. For now, I'm just trying to meet a deadline and keep my promise. No blood and gore this chapter, but I've got big plans in mind for the coming chapters. The comments left for previous chapters have gotten me to chance some of the plot and add some new elements into it that I hadn't considered before. Enjoy the chapter.

The place where they finally landed was still connected to the Shadows, but extended out into a long corridor beyond where they were. Solitaire immediately recognized that this was an extension of the Shadow Realm that had projected itself partly into the human realm. An artificial construct was made from this, creating a solid ground for the inhabitants to remain in without actually coming into contact with the other realm. It was the one way that realm boundaries could be crossed without actually doing any damage. So it made the transports quicker and easier on the realm boundaries.

That's not to say that the trip had been an easy one for everyone. Transporting them nearer to where Yami awaited wasn't a pleasant ride for the humans. It left each of them feeling dizzy and sick, with Jou and Mokuba both losing their lunch along with Honda. Kaiba and Anzu managed to keep their composure, but just barely. They both still looked a bit gray from the trip as they desperately tried to keep their churning stomachs under control. Several moments passed before any of them were able to either stand straight or look around them without feeling dizzy.

It was a delay that the Dark Magician did not like. This was why he hadn't wanted to bring the humans. They were causing a delay that they couldn't afford right now. He knew that it would have been better to leave them behind, regardless of their connection to the missing Hikari. Anything that he might have said never reached his lips thanks to Solitaire. A shake of the dragon's head kept the spellcaster's temper in check for the moment.

Why Solitaire would put such effort into dealing with the humans when her master was missing was beyond him. They were not creatures of consequence to a Shadow Realm inhabitant. Still, the way that she rubbed the youngest one's back as he continued to heave a few more times was significant in its own right he supposed. It was obvious that she had bonded with these beings in ways that she had never done with anyone but Yugi. That itself was saying something.

He truly hoped that bond was strong enough to withstand what was about to come. Though he could understand the logic that the female human, Anzu, had used in Solitaire's defense, there was no guarantee that Yami-sama would see things that way. More than likely, the dark spirit would have a similar reaction to his own. It would just be much worse in degree. Given the state that he was currently in, Dark Magician felt that his master might lost his temper enough that he would actually Mind Crush Solitaire. If that happened, then the dragon would surely be lost.

_Let's hope that odd luck you always seem to have holds out for a bit longer, pest. Something tells me you're going to need it,_ Dark Magician thought.

Using his magic, he levitated Gil alongside him. The pathetic creature was still hovering on consciousness. It actually surprised Dark Magician that Gil had managed to hang onto that much. The toad-like brute had already been slashed, bitten, electrocuted, and very nearly fried from the inside out by two Monsters in a very short period. For most, that would have already sent them into unconscious bliss or death. It was a testament to how resilient creatures from the Abyss truly were when their physical bodies were put to the test.

Not that Dark Magician would ever admit to respecting such creatures or what they were capable of. From what he had seen, there was no honor among such brutes. Gil alone had proven that. Though he was stopped in time, he had attempted to kill a helpless opponent. Any creature that was capable of actions like that was not worth anyone's time. To think otherwise would just be pure folly and reason for other's to question one's sanity.

Of course he was already questioning his own when it came to the humans. He truly hoped that Solitaire knew what she was doing by insisting them come along. Her future was already uncertain with Yugi's capture. She had been the last one with Yugi before his capture and though she had tried to prevent it, she had still failed. If Yami truly did place full blame upon the dragon for that, he would not be in any way lenient towards her. Just what he would do was still uncertain as his promise to Yugi never to harm the little hikari's servant kept him from harming the dragon as he might others. Then again, given his present state of mind, Yami could well forgo that and rend Solitaire's soul on the spot as punishment. Only time would tell what would happen and that was something that they didn't have much of.

"Come. Yami-sama awaits us with the others. It is not wise to dawdle here for long," Dark Magician ordered.

"Who's dawdling? I just want the place to stop spinning," Honda groaned.

"That is your own fault. You insisted that you wished to come and this is a consequence of your rashness. Now either come or remain for the Shadows to take you when this passageway closes behind us," Dark Magician snapped.

"Switch to decaf, wand boy. We're coming," Solitaire snapped," Come on, guys, I know it's tough but just focus on the ground or on one of us. The less you pay attention to this stuff for awhile, the more it'll let you get used to it."

The only answers she received were a few nods and groans. For the time being, it was all anyone was up for. Even Honda, who had managed to find his voice for a moment, was silent again as his stomach churned anew from aggravation. So the group did as they were told. Keeping close to one another, they followed after the two Monsters that now led the way. Dark Magician took the lead with Solitaire falling in slightly behind him to keep close to the humans.

Their journey was not a long one. Something which all the humans were silently grateful for. Just walking now was almost trying for their dizzy heads and churning stomachs. Heeding Solitaire's advice had helped them some but not much. Though they kept their gazes either on the ground or one of the two Monsters, it was hard to ignore the swirling black and purple masses around them. It was even more so as wisps of the material seemed to float out at times as if to cross their path. When that happened, either Solitaire or Dark Magician would mutter something that would cause the wisps to vanish.

When they finally reached the end of the corridor, what greeted them was enough to make any of the humans look on with awe. Their final exit was a large chamber that was impossibly large, created from Shadows and barrier matter to form a large dome. Lined along the walls were various Monsters that the humans easily recognized from their Duel Monster cards. Some were quite impression to see, such as the Celtic Guardian and Panther Warrior. Others were almost comical, such as the group of Kuribohs that cooed and chirped nearby. Yet all of them compared to what sat in the middle of the chamber upon a throne made entirely out of Shadows.

Placed on a dais-like structure, upon the throne sat what could have passed for Yugi at a great distance. There was the same multicolored hair and blond lightning bolts that seemed to stick out everywhere. Elaborate robes of purple and crimson clothed the stranger while a crown sat upon his forehead. Upon closer inspection however, that was where the similarities ended. The closer they got, the humans could see that there was a vast difference between their friend and this stranger.

While Yugi was pale, this being had a deep tan. In place of gentle amethyst, there was danger crimson which regarded them with the same disgust reserved for insects. Power rolled off this individual in ways that Yugi never could have accomplished. He had an air about him that practically screamed danger and death while the hikari always had a gentle aura about him. From all that, there was no doubt in the humans' minds that this was Yugi's darkness, Yami.

"Damn. Little guy wasn't kidding when he said this guy made Kaiba look like a pansy," Honda breathed.

"Shut it," Kaiba ordered.

"Shh!" Solitaire hissed as they approached the throne.

The gathered Monsters regarded the humans with a variety of expressions. A few were curious while many clearly showed their disgust. More than one had a hungry gleam in their eye. When the group came close to such Monsters, either a snarl from Solitaire or a glare from Dark Magician warned them away. From that it was made clear that these humans were under their protection and an attack would be met with force. Why their fellows would protect such lowly creatures was beyond those present but that was their choice. If they had staked a claim on these mortals, then none would challenge it unless their Master bade so.

Kneeling before the throne and motioning for the others to do the same, Dark Magician said," I have successfully retrieved Yugi-sama's servant as you ordered, Yami-sama."

"I see, but it also appears that you have brought back more than I desired, Dark Magician. What are those doing here?" Yami demanded slowly.

His eyes darted over the humans in quick examination. Falling under that gaze, Anzu and the boys each felt like insects under a microscope. Just from his attitude they could grasp the vast differences between their friend and this being. Yugi would never speak about others like that because he would care too much. Yami on the other hand, didn't seem to give a flip one way or the other.

"They wish to help us in our quest to retrieve Yugi-sama," Dark Magician answered.

"What possible reason could lowly creatures like this have to do with my hikari?" Yami growled.

Looking upwards, Anzu quickly replied," We wanna help because Yugi's our friend. He's been staying with us since he and Solitaire got here."

Yami's gaze changed slightly as he took in this new bit of information. Knowing this, that gave these humans a new distinction in his eyes. Before, they had merely been lower creatures that his servant had brought back for some reason. Really nothing of consequence in his current mission. Now though, having heard this claim, it actually gave the humans some importance for the time being. If they had been taking care of his little one, that meant they had been keeping him safe while he was on this backwards world. For that alone Yami was willing to allow them to live.

Something was a bit off though. If these humans had been caring for his hikari, then he should have been with them. Yet there was no sign of Yugi. All that Yami could pick up was the faint traces of his little one's gentle aura as it lingered on these people. It was fresh and potent, telling him that they had been together only a short time before. Something drastic had happened in that short time that had separated the hikari from these humans.

That frightened Yami almost more than his frayed mind could take. Ever since they had arrived on this world, he had been trying to break through the mental barriers that Yugi had erected. So far those efforts had proved to be in vain. Though he might not often show it, Yugi could be just as stubborn as Yami when he wanted to be. If he didn't want the other in his mind, he would keep him out for as long as his strength held out. Only Yami forcibly breaking the mental barriers, Yugi relenting, or the hikari falling unconscious would make it otherwise.

Deep inside, Yami knew that it had to be the last possibility. The barriers he had been fighting against were no longer there. All that he felt when reaching out to Yugi was a void similar to when the hikari was asleep. The difference was that there were not even the typical mental responses and whimpers that Yugi would give when he was asleep. There was just total nothingness meeting Yami's efforts now whenever he tried to reach Yugi through their link.

"If Yugi has been in your care as you claim, then where is he? All I sensed upon entering your realm was his servant and a void where my hikari's mind should be," Yami demanded.

Solitaire gulped once while Dark Magician looked solemn. This was something that they had both been dreading from the beginning. One of them was going to have to tell Yami the truth about what had happened to Yugi. Though it was necessary to tell his master such, Dark Magician truly feared that this information would send Yami over the final edge. He knew that his master was only hanging onto his sanity right now through sheer willpower and the desire to find his lover. Otherwise, the dark spirit would have descended into madness long before.

Steeling himself for whatever was to come, Dark Magician stated, "I regret to inform you that Yugi-sama was captured shortly before I found his servant, Yami-sama. He was taken by a witch of the Abyss and her minions. Where he is now is unknown."

A deadly silence filled the chamber after he spoke. Neither Monster nor human dared to make a sound as the information was processed. Yami only sat upon his throne, crimson eyes glazed over for the briefest of seconds before rage filled them anew. Shadow magic crackled around the dark spirit, his anger fueling the power that was now building about him.

"You worthless idiot!" he snarled," Are you telling me that my hikari was taken when you were so close to him?!"

"Yes Yami-sama," Dark Magician nodded.

He kept his head bowed as he spoke. Dark Magician knew that whatever his master might say, that was not his true self. Yami was a rational creature who used his keen mind to outmaneuver and trick his opponents. Though his anger could be great, he was not a being who lost his temper easily. The only reason he acted as he did now was because of the mental and physical strain he felt from being separated from Yugi. He was beginning to react on instinct rather than rational thought. For that, though it might sound strange to some, Dark Magician did not blame his master.

"I should kill you now for that incompetence. I do not require servants who can't act when needed," Yami snarled.

For Solitaire, that was enough. Whatever his reason for saying this, she knew that Dark Magician didn't deserve this sort of treatment. They may not have liked one another, but she still respected the spellcaster. There was no one more loyal to Yami than Dark Magician was. He was the one Monster who would throw mind and soul away if it meant the survival of his master regardless of the odds. That was something which he had proven time and time in the many battles that they had fought together over the eons. From that, a strong bond of trust had developed to an unbreakable point or so it had seemed until this moment.

"Don't!" Solitaire said as she leapt to her feet.

She scrambled forward, planting herself between Dark Magician and Yami. More than one set of eyes widened at her actions. No one was quite sure what she was trying to attempt, but she certainly had everyone's attention at this point. Especially Yami, who didn't look pleased in the least to see Solitaire. Her outburst had only stunned him for a second before the outrage he had been unleashing on Dark Magician turned on the dragon instead.

"You dare speak out of turn to me, dragon?" Yami demanded.

"I will if it keeps you from doing something I know you'll regret later, Yami-sama," Solitaire challenged.

Behind her, Dark Magician remained in utter silence. He couldn't believe the risk that Solitaire was taking right now. She may not have known the full extent, but she had to know that Yami was unstable at this point. Having been around Yugi had surely given her signs that the two were falling under great stress by this point. So she was a fool to challenge Yami like this, even if it were not a direct one.

"Tread carefully, dragon, and remember to whom you speak. I gave you to Yugi as a servant, but that does not put you above anyone else who serves me," Yami warned, shadow magic radiating off him in even more dangerous amounts.

"I-I know that, but someone's gotta keep you from acting stupid since Yugi-sama isn't here to do it. He'd never forgive either of us if I let you go through with hurting Dark Magician," Solitaire said.

Yami's eyes flared dangerously at the mention of Yugi. Even now he had still been trying to reach his little one. There was still no answer, only a dark void that he couldn't cross. It was steadily agitating the yami even more than he had been before, with each attempt only making it worse. Not that Solitaire was helping either, regardless of her intentions.

"Speak of my Hikari in that way again and you may both share the same fate," Yami warned.

"Go ahead then, Yami-sama. I'm ready for whatever you throw at me because if you want to blame this on someone, then blame me. Dark Magician has nothing to do with this mess. He's only following your orders. I'm the reason Yugi-sama left the palace and came to this world. I brought him here," Solitaire insisted.

Yami regarded Solitaire for a brief moment before letting out a sharp, harsh laugh of disbelief. It was a sound that echoed through the chamber, soon to be followed by many of the other Monsters here. That was as sure a sign as any that no one believed her. Everyone still assumed that Yugi had taken himself away and only brought Solitaire with him for protection, even Dark Magician. There was no way that Solitaire's claim could possibly be true.

"How could a weakling dragon like you possibly take my little one from my own palace, let alone the Shadow Realm? You have no true power. Your electric attacks can barely take down a Beaver Warrior," Yami scoffed.

"Easy. Just like you, I can travel between worlds whenever I want," she said simply.

Silence fell over those that had gathered and with good reason. To make such a claim was surely to invite disaster upon one's self. The power to travel between realms was a rare and potent ability. It was not something to be taken lightly. For those that wielded it, extreme caution and discipline had to be enforced to ensure that the power wasn't abused. Of course, even if one did use their power carefully, the Shadow Realm law still bound anyone with the ability to the service of any yami who encountered them.

That bondage was not always pleasant. As Solitaire had once told Yugi, she had no desire to be sealed away as many with the same power had been. Few were allowed to continue functioning under their own power and usually only if they had professed total devotion to their masters. Even then they could still have their power restricted by use of an inhibiting collar, which would only allow the power to be used at the yami's discretion.

It was a fate that Solitaire had avoided for eons. She had kept that secret even after being made into Yugi's eternal servant. With a roof over her head, a steady supply of food, and at least one amiable companion, she saw no reason to worry about her power anyway. She had no desire to move about and had only admitted to the fact of having such an ability because her friend needed help. Now she was doing the same thing, even if Dark Magician wasn't exactly her friend. Still, she wasn't going to let him take the heat for something that she helped to cause.

"You're lying," Yami hissed.

"I'm not lying," Solitaire retorted," I can teleport between realms. I've always been able to do that. It's part of why I managed to evade capture for so long back when I was a thief. I teleported to somewhere else if there was no other chance of escape."

A crack was heard as the armrest of Yami's throne broke away under his tightened grip. Bits of debris fell from the spot as the dark one dug deeper into the broken area as a thick tension slowly filled the air. If he was bothered by any sort of pain, Yami gave no sign of it. Only his taunt body and darkening expression gave any indication to the storm that was about to break loose from the dragon's admission.

"Despite the Shadow Realm laws, you purposely kept this a secret from me in my own palace?" Yami demanded.

"The laws only apply if the one who possesses the ability is using them to cause harm to the Shadow Realm and the worlds surrounding it by constant teleporting. I never use my powers to hurt anyone and only teleport if I have no other chance of escape. The times I use my powers all occurred long before I came into your service and since I haven't done so in all that time, I saw no reason to reveal myself," Solitaire explained.

Her words were bold and foolish all at once, despite the ring of truth that they held. It was true that the Shadow Realm was normally applied to those that abused their power. These were ones who needed to be controlled lest they break the realm boundaries and cause realities to merge together. Such an event would be disastrous should it be allowed to come to pass. So measures had to be taken to ensure that it did not occur.

Solitaire was right in her admission that she had never used her power to hurt anyone and that she rarely if ever used said ability. So that got her off the hook to an extent but not entirely. Even if she had never used her abilities to harm anyone, the fact that Solitaire served in the palace of a yami was reason enough that she should have revealed herself. At least that was the standpoint that the majority of the other Monsters could see things from. Keeping such vital information from the dark spirits was not a wise move. They were made the keepers of the Shadow Realm for a reason.

"And what reason did you dare to use your powers for this time?" Yami demanded.

"The only reason I used it was because that was what Yugi-sama wanted and you said so yourself that I'm not allowed to disobey his orders," Solitaire replied.

"Do not toy with me, dragon. You know who holds the power here," Yami warned dangerously.

"You might have all the power, but I'm the one with the answers. Kill me and you'll never know the truth you're too blinded to see," Solitaire challenged.

This was a dangerous game that she continued to play. Solitaire knew that Yami could destroy her with a thought and that he wouldn't hesitate to do so in his present mood. He was pushed to the very ends of his sanity at this point, as she could instinctually sense now. It was almost impossible for him to recognize anything beyond the impulse to reunite with his hikari. Only sheer willpower was allowing Yami any sense of sanity. But if she was ever going to get through his thick head, that was just something that Solitaire knew that she would have to chance. So she steadied herself and prepared to tell him just what had caused Yugi to run away in the first place.

"I did what I had to do to help my friend. I'll never forgive myself for letting him get captured and if there was choice, I'd gladly give my life for his. He means too much to me for me to think otherwise," Solitaire said," But I don't regret helping him come here. If I hadn't, I know he would have lost himself for sure. It was just a matter of time."

"What are you babbling about now? There is no way that my hikari was losing himself," Yami snarled indignantly.

"Wanna bet on that one, Yami-sama? You might be Yugi-sama's soulmate, but there are things even you don't know about him," Solitaire challenged.

"And what could I possibly not know of my own hikari?" Yami snarled.

"How about the fact that he's been bleeding from the inside for a long time, probably from even before I knew him. Sometimes it's happened quickly, sometimes slowly. All that matters is that it would eventually harm him beyond repair. As his friend, I couldn't let that happen," she said.

"And the cause of this so-called bleeding?" the yami ordered.

A new uneasiness was starting to spread over Yami the more Solitaire spoke. It was not the information that she gave him, but rather the air with which she spoke. There was a confidence about Solitaire that only those with true sincerity spoke with. Such a thing was not comforting to Yami, who was still in denial about what was being said to him. As a yami, mate and protector of the hikari, he just couldn't bring himself to accept such things as truth.

"How about the fact that you and everyone else thinks that just because he's a hikari that he's not aware of what goes on around him. Being innocent doesn't make him stupid," Solitaire growled out, spinal crest rising in agitation.

A battle of wills was starting to play out now. One really seemed to have no clear winner at the moment. While Yami was powerful and nearing the point where he would do anything to get what he wanted, Solitaire was collected and argued with what she knew to be truth. Each side had their own justification for standing up to the other, even if no one else understood that right now. Still that challenge helped Yami to focus at the moment, as his gradually straining mind sought some kind of foothold without Yugi there.

"Impossible," Yami protested angrily," There is no way that Yugi would hide something like from me. We are soulmates, bound heart and soul. There is nothing that I don't know about him."

"If you knew everything about him, then why were these humans able to reach him in a way even you couldn't?" Solitaire demanded.

"Rubbish and lies. What could these humans do for my hikari that I possibly can't?" Yami demanded.

"They listened to what Yugi-sama had to say instead of just telling him to be a good boy and do as he was told. That's what you did when you told Yugi that he couldn't come with you jerks back in the Meeting Hall. I don't know exactly what you said, but it was clear that you just brushed him. Even if you cared about him, that sort of behavior is inexcusable," Solitaire growled.

She started pacing, her agitation steadily growing as surely as Yami's had. This was something that she had been stewing on for awhile, just as Yugi had. She never told her master as much, but it was true. Solitaire hated that Yami just didn't get the problem right in front of him. Could someone really be so blind to the truth that he couldn't see the damage that was being done right before his very eyes? Why couldn't Yami see that he was causing more harm to his light than any other possible could, simply for not understanding what the hikari needed most?

"That day in the Meeting Hall, whatever you said really hurt him. He felt like you would never see him as anything more than a helpless lover that you had to protect," Solitaire snarled as she turned her gaze back at Yami," I knew that would just keep eating at him until it either tainted him or caused you both to go insane, so I talked him into leaving the palace. That way, if he was away from what was holding him back, then he might actually have a chance of getting it through your thick head that he is more than just your lover. He's your equal. After so long, you should know that but you don't. You're just too wrapped up in protecting him that you never let him become anything more than a sheltered child."

There was a firmness in Solitaire's voice that brooked no argument even from Yami. She was serious about this, perhaps more so than anything else than she had ever been in her life. This was something that she knew that Yami had to understand for both his own sake and Yugi's. If she wasn't able to make the problem clear to him, then everything from leaving the palace to Yugi's capture would have been for nothing. Yamis lack of understanding would only continue the downward spiral that they were all already on until there was nothing left and he finally descended into madness. When that happened, he would end up taking everyone down with him.

As she spoke, Solitaire's words began to sink for the other Monsters. Like her, they had been around Yugi for countless millennia. They served and protected him not only because of the fealty that they had sworn to his lover, but also to ensure that no harm befell the Hikari. For any Monster that dwelt within the Shadow Realm, those born of the light were most precious. From them, there was a warmth and compassion that would otherwise not be found in their world.

That was a warmth that Yugi had readily shared with anyone who came into contact with him. He had never been cruel to anyone of them. When someone in the palace was hurt, if Yugi were nearby, he would help to heal them with his magic. If some of the younglings were playing or got lost, Yugi would be their playmate and guide. He always had a ready smile for any of them. For that gentle spirit, any of the Monsters present would have gladly given their lives just as they would for their master, Yami.

Now though, as the conviction of Solitaire's words began to affect them in full force, they were beginning to understand that there was more to Yugi than they had known. It was true that he was gentle and kind, but that was not all there was to him. There was more beneath the surface that none of them had seen. So intent had they been on keeping Yugi safe both on Yami's orders and of their own free wills, that they had not seen what was going on before them. They had ignored the signs just as surely as the dark spirit had.

Though it was in no way intentional, harm had been done. Now, they were dealing with the consequences of those actions. The question that remained now would be if there was still time to correct what had been done. Where Yugi had been taken was still a mystery that they hadn't solved yet. Without that information, they only had Yami's senses to lead them and that wasn't able to give them an exact location.

Yami himself had actually been stunned into silence by Solitaire's accusations. Her words, no matter how much he might try to deny them, had a truth to them that he could no longer ignore. Yugi was the most precious thing in his life and not simply because they were bonded. No, Yami loved Yugi more than anything else. He would have gladly given up his own territory, his powers, anything, if it meant that he would be able to stay by the other's side. So, like any yami, he did what he thought was best to protect his little one from harm.

He had done that by keeping Yugi under strict guard in the palace. Everything ro anything that Yugi might ever need was provided for him. Never once had he lacked for anything should he desire it from Yami. Powerful spells and traps had bee placed around their personal chambers to prevent any intruders who actually made it into the palace from reaching the hikari. If that failed, then as a last resort, Yami was capable of doing what Bakura had done and pulled Yugi into the confines of the Millennium Puzzle that he possessed for safety.

These things Yami had done to ensure that Yugi remained safe and happy at all times. He never wanted Yugi to worry about the affairs of the Shadow Realm. That was Yami's problem. Yugi's time was better spent playing games, sitting in the garden with his flowers, or solving puzzles. That had been the mindset that Yami existed with for so long and one he had felt Yugi felt content with. Now with all that had happened, he was beginning to question what he had thought was true all this time and what he had taken for granted.

"I never desired to harm Yugi," Yami said slowly," He is my light. Without him, I have nothing. I only what was best for him so that he never felt fear or pain. A Hikari is not meant to experience such things."

Solitaire stopped in her pacing as Yami spoke. Now it was her turn to be surprised by him. For a time, she had been lost in her words. She had not yet noticed the effect of what she had said. It appeared though, that just maybe she was getting through to Yami after all.

"You're full of it, you know that?" Kaiba snorted.

"What?" Yami demanded.

By now, Kaiba was on his feet. He had never been one to kneel before anyone. His pride was just too much for that. This time he had only followed the others' example simply because he had been in a state of shock at seeing all the Monsters. Otherwise, he never would have kneeled before some arrogant twit like Yami.

"No matter how much you love someone, you can't stop life from happening. They have to be out there taking their lumps or else it makes them weak. Why do you think I let this mutt handle his own fights most of the time?" Kaiba snapped, jerking a thumb at Jou.

"Watch it, moneybags," Jou warned.

"We're not hikari and yami like you and the twerp, but Jou and I are lovers. I could try keeping him hidden away from everything like you did with Yugi. It would certainly make life a whole lot easier if I could keep him on a leash. I wouldn't have to worry about him wandering off so much. At the same time though, I know it wouldn't work. The more you try to hold someone back, the more it's gonna make them fight the bonds holding them," Kaiba continued.

"Did that just come out of Kaiba's mouth?" Honda gasped.

"I think it did," Anzu nodded.

"So do what the dragon says and get off your ass. Fix this mess while you still have a chance instead of just ranting on like the idiot that you are," Kaiba smirked.

Yami regarded Kaiba for a moment in a way that he hadn't done with any of the others. There was a gleam in his eyes that was normally reserved for other yamis. Whether that was a good sign or not was uncertain by that point. Whenever Yami had that look in his eye, it could either mean he was ready to battle the other dark spirit or have a debate. Given that Kaiba was human and verbally sparring with an almost deranged yami, there was no telling how this might go.

"It's unfortunate that you were born human. You would have made an excellent yami with that attitude. Of course, if you were, I would battle you for speaking to me in that way," Yami said.

For the moment, thankfully, the verbal battles were helping Yami to some degree. It gave his mind something more to focus on besides seeking out his other half. Though it was important that they find Yugi, keeping Yami stable was crucial as well. The longer they kept that up, the more time they would be able to buy for everyone until the Hikari was found.

"Now that you've made your point, where has Yugi been taken, dragon?" Yami said as he cast his gaze back upon Solitaire.

An almost devious smirk on her muzzle, Solitaire said," I don't know where that witch took Yugi-sama, but Gil there does. That thing Dark Magician brought with us works for Miaka, the witch who took Yugi. He's her right hand toad."

Deadly crimson locked onto the semi-conscious Gil the moment Solitaire spoke. A rage filled them that compared with nothing that any present had ever known. It promised a fate worse than death and an enduring pain that would last even beyond that point. Not the most pleasant of fates one could be promised and one that Yami would readily dole out should he see fit to. The Shadows and those that wielded them were not something to be toyed with lightly. Especially when something that they considered precious and dear was harmed in some way.

"He knows where my aibou can be found?" Yami asked slowly.

"Yes Yami-sama. I tried to get the information from him, but he refused. That is why we brought him to you to extract what we need to find Yugi-sama," Dark Magician said.

The Eye of Horus, symbol of Yami's mental powers, began to form on the dark spirit's forehead as he rose to his feet. He slowly descended from his throne, the glow steadily growing brighter. Within seconds, it was an almost blinding light that the humans all shied away from. The intense power that now radiated from Yami was unlike anything that they had ever felt before. By mere instinct, they knew that this was a power neither of their world nor to be trifled with.

Knowing what was to come, Dark Magician cast a barrier spell around the humans. It would block out all sight and sound until this was over with. His actions were partly out of concern for the humans but also to keep them from interfering. Yami had started a Shadow Game, his mind already linking with Gil's to set things in motion. The outcome was already assured but that make it any less unpleasant. For the humans, the sight was sure to drive them insane should they witness it.

In both mind and body, Gil soon felt the full extent of the rage that was boiling inside of Yami. Within seconds of the game's finish, the dark one forcefully ripped into his mind to find the information that he wanted. He screamed in agony, unable to withstand the power that was now flowing through him. It was an insane keening that caused all the humans present to cover their ears in a vain attempt to block out the sound.

The Monsters were a different story. They merely watched the scene as impassively as a summer's day. For them, this was natural to see. It was one of the base powers of the dark spirits that they served and something that happened on occasion in their world. Neither felt remorse over the matter either nor did they spare Gil a passing moment of sympathy. This was a fate that they knew he had brought upon himself for daring to help bring harm to a hikari, the very epitome of light and goodness.

Yami continued long after he had pulled what he needed from Gil. He toyed with the witch's minion for a bit, totally shredding his mind and soul beyond recognition. There was no doubt that the dark spirit would send this one down to the darkest depths of the Shadow Realm. It was only fitting for him and once he was satisfied with what he had learned, Yami flicked his wrist once. The now empty shell that had once been Gil, loyal servant of Miaka, was totally obliterated by the Shadows which had already consumed his soul.

A/N: And here we get to see a slightly psycho Yami. I probably should've let him go a bit more berserk, but I do need the other characters alive for the time being. It wouldn't look very nice if I let them get this far only to be taken out just before the big fight happens. That will be happening in the next two chapters, which will be posted shortly after the New Year. I hate to keep everyone in further suspense, but I want to make this worth the read. It's also why I made this an extra long chapter to make up for the wait that will come. Hope this holds everyone over until late January.


	18. Hurt but Never Abandoned

Chapter 17: Hurt but Never Abandoned

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

A/N: I know that this chapter is majorly overdue but I've been pretty swamped lately thanks to school and work. What little free I did have was either spent trying to study or catch up on time with my boyfriend who's been whining I don't pay enough attention to him anymore. So I've had to cut this one a lot shorter than I originally intended to be sure that I'm not too far off my deadlines. Be warned though, as I've taken a darker tone in this chapter to give a better effect of the situation that Yugi's now in.

He really wasn't sure how to describe these feelings. They were so jumbled that it left him disoriented and confused. One moment everything around him felt so hazy and murky, like he was lost in a thick fog. The next moment, it was like he was floating in a vast nothingness that had neither beginning nor end. It felt as if it stretched on forever. He could gain no sense of stability in this place, save one. All around, he was surrounded by impenetrable darkness.

Darkness was often something Yugi would have welcomed as it reminded him of the warm, protective embrace of his lover. It always made him feel safe and secure. That was not the case this time. Now it only brought the chill that often accompanied the nightmares that he had recently become prone to. At some points he felt as he was being suffocated by that was coming at him from all sides.

How long he endured such things was a mystery to Yugi. Any attempts that he made to wake were met with immediate resistance. Instinctually he knew that whatever was stopping him was magical in nature. Only a strong magical force could keep him from waking if that's what he was trying to do. Either that or a mental touch from Yami, if the other had used his own mental abilities to lull the hikari to sleep as he had often done in the past. Like the energies that surrounded Yami, such a touch would have certain gentleness to it. This was still the same suffocating force that surrounded him on all sides.

Whatever kept him from waking, Yugi continued to resist. He could feel something calling, no demanding, that he pull himself out of this place. It was important that he act quickly. If he didn't, then things were bound to get worse. Though why things had gone so badly escaped him for the moment, continually evading his attempts like wisps of smoke.

So he continued to struggle and grasp the memories that waited beyond the edge of his awareness. It could have gone on for Earth hours, days, weeks, or months. Yugi didn't know. He had never considered keeping track of time before coming to Earth. Before learning the human concept of time, he had merely existed and been satisfied with that. Even after, it had not bothered him as the days came and went. There was no consequence in that. Now however, he was beginning to understand the aggravation that he had seen his human friends so often express.

This was pure torture for him. Even as he tried as hard as he could to wake, the seconds seemed to creep by with an aching slowness. It felt like an eternity was passing and for him, that was saying something. Given that he had been created when time began, Yugi had seen more than one eternity come and go to some degree. Then it had gone by without thought. Now it was going by in slow motion that even Kaiba would have some reason to complain about.

Further thoughts of his human friends acted as the trigger that his mind needed. Something deep inside him snapped, breaking hard against whatever was holding him in this dark and endless place. More memories began to surface as a result. Most were jumbled, but it was still enough to help him remember what had happened. How he had been separated from his friends and captured by a Witch. Remembering that gave him the strength he needed to finally break free from whatever spell or force was holding him back. Though when he did wake, Yugi wasn't quite sure if the world he saw now was any better than the void that he had just left behind.

Gloomy could not begin to describe the scene that Yugi saw before him. It was dismal for sure, instantly reminding Yugi of those bad horror movies that he had watched with Jou and Honda. It was hard to see as what little light there was to be found was dim at best. It was like trying to see through the night with a flashlight that had been covered with. What light did filter through gave some idea of how rundown and forgotten this place was.

It was impossible to tell how large this place was. The light didn't allow for him to see very far and what areas he could make out were often covered in deep shadows. What he saw left little to the imagination. There were leaky pipes all over the place, with rusty looking water that almost looked like blood in the dim light dripping from them. What had once been bright paint was now chipped and dull, steadily peeling in more than one area of the room.

He was chained against one of the walls, magical shackles holding his arms and legs in place. Cold stone bit deeply into his back and he tried to move away from the sensation. The bonds that held him would not allow for that however. Yugi was kept securely in place and any attempts he made to move against their length ended with a harsh shock running through his system.

Yugi couldn't bite back the scream that erupted from his throat when the first jolt ran from the shackles down his limbs. The shock only lasted a few seconds before finally tapering off. However long, its effects remained. Yugi hung there limply, still in shock and trying to catch his breath. It was how he remained for several moments before a chuckle from the shadows finally roused his attention.

"W-who's there?" Yugi panted.

"Only me. I would say don't try moving too much but it seems that you've already found out the hard way yourself," Miaka sneered as she stepped into view.

She had appeared seemingly from the shadows itself. If that was true or simply an illusion she had cast, Yugi didn't know. For all he knew, she could have just been standing there and watching him this whole time. That or she had actually traveled through the shadows as he had seen some Monsters do from time to time. It was one of the many unknowns that surrounded Miaka.

Another was the reasons why she had made an attack on Ryou and then brought Yugi here. Miaka had made no attempt to explain herself to him when she captured Yugi. She had only given him the choice of either surrender or Solitaire's life. For him, the choice had been obvious and he had come without question. Now though, his mind was racing as to why she had gone through so much trouble to capture and bring him to this dismal place.

Yugi then remembered the creatures that had been present when the witch had appeared before. He quickly glanced around, trying to find any sign of the beasts. Through all the gloom, he saw no one but Miaka. At first, he wasn't sure if that could be some sort of trick. He remembered how smoke-like the creatures had been, hovering like a strange mist in the garden. With such forms, it would not have been hard for them to hide themselves in this darkness. If anything, it would have been child's play, as humans were often known to say.

So he kept the search up for another moment or two, trying to determine if someone was truly there. The thought of which left his heart pounding as fear crept up his spine. Miaka watched him with amusement. She was obviously taking great pleasure from the hikari's distress and made no effort to hide it. If anything, she encouraged it. This made things all the better for her before she went into the final preparations for her work. Eventually though, Miaka grew bored with watching Yugi's eyes dart all over the place. As fun as it was for her to see him squirm, there were other matters at hand that needed her attention.

"There's no need to worry about my pets showing themselves for now, little Hikari. I've sent them away to keep an eye for any intruders. I wouldn't want us to be disturbed," she said.

She came closer to Yugi as she spoke. When she had first appeared in Kaiba's garden, Miaka had seemed to be sickly with her pale skin. Almost like the zombies and vampires that had also been in the many movies that he had watched with Jou and Honda. That wasn't the case anymore. Now her pale skin glowed with an eerie shine in the gloom of the surrounding room. She appeared to be more spirit than physical being, almost like her servants.

Her long, purple hair trailing behind her like a veil, Miaka continued to approach Yugi until they were almost face to face. He tried to turn his face away, trying to avoid any contact. The movement did him little good as all it did was bring him closer to the cold stone he was chained against. Dark eyes watched him with a malicious amusement that steadily becoming what Yugi could consider the norm for Miaka.

Pulling away just as quickly as she had approached, Miaka headed away Yugi and towards what he assumed was the center of the room. He watched her with uncertainty, still weak and slightly dazed from his earlier experience. If he had been in his right mind at that moment, Yugi would have that he needed to call out to Yami. That was the most logical and instinctual course of action. The dark spirit would have come for sure to rescue him from this hell. Yet for some reason, the idea didn't quite register. Whatever spell Miaka had cast on him before left his mind a jumble in so many ways even as he tried to grasp full coherency. He may have escaped the sleep she had placed him in, but he was nowhere free of her hold on him.

All he could do was watch her for now, shivering and whimpering in pain. Miaka stopped just short of the center of the room, which was shrouded in deep shadows. There was a difference in these shadows than the ones that covered the rest of the room. While those reacted in some way to weak light that tried to pierce through, that was not the case with this area. The shadows seemed too dark for anything to pass through. It was almost like a blanket that had been thrown up to obscure one's vision. Surely such a thing had to be magical in nature. There was no way for it to be natural.

"I suppose you're curious to know what's under there, right?" Miaka asked.

"No I don't. I just want to know why you brought me here," Yugi answered.

"Quite an impatient little thing, aren't you? Reminds me too much of those idiot humans. Always scurrying around like rodents. Well, I'm afraid that you'll just have to wait. I may have brought you here, but I'm not quite ready to finish our business just yet. You'll know what this about soon enough. So enjoy what time you have while you can," Miaka said.

"We don't have business. You captured me for no reason," Yugi said boldly.

Reaching her hand into the shadows for something that only she could see, Miaka replied,' Oh, I have my reasons, little Hikari. As I said, you'll know what they are soon enough. Keep acting as you are though and you'll make me think you're one of those stupid humans that live in this realm. Disgusting things."

"Humans aren't stupid! Some are bad, but there's a lot of good ones too," Yugi protested.

"That shows how sheltered you truly are. No creature in all the realms is as greedy and disgusting as humans. They're stupid beasts but I'll admit that even they have their uses. They provide such wonderful places to hide away from the world. I didn't have to search long to find this place, you know. All I had to do was clear out the vermin that were living here already and I could set up housekeeping," she said offhandedly.

"Vermin?" Yugi asked weakly.

"Yes. A few humans were trying to hide here during the night and they were in the way. So I let my pets have them," Miaka replied.

Yugi's eyes widened in shock at hearing this. There was only one fate that his mind could think of that would befall any human who came into contact with Miaka's pets. If they were anything like the beasts that dwelled in the Shadow Realm, then those poor souls were lost for sure. His heart clenched at such a thought, shock and despair shooting through him almost as painfully as the jolt he had received from his bonds. Tears formed in his eyes as he thought of the unknowns who had needlessly lost their lives and quite possibly their souls.

Without warning, Yugi threw back his head and screamed. He couldn't take this anymore. The reason why Miaka had taken him was still unknown, but what she had already done was too much. Threatening his friend, attacking Yugi and now the slaughter of innocent humans, it was going too far and too much for the spell Miaka had cast to handle. Though he did not break through entirely, whatever strength Yugi had left came to be as he instinctually reached out with his mind to Yami's.

Miaka watched Yugi, already knowing that his struggle would be in vain. She had expected the Hikari to react in such a manner. While such beings were heavily protected, she had been sure to do her research long before attempting to capture one. She knew much when it came to Hikaris, probably more than anyone save their own yamis. It took a lot of work, but if one were to push a Hikari almost to the brink, that was when they were supposed to release their greatest power. At least that had always been the theory. Watching Yugi now, she knew that she had nearly accomplished that goal. There was just one final touch that Miaka had prepared for just for such an occasion.

She had long since learned of the mind link that was shared between yami and hikari. It was one of the strengths that set them apart from other magical creatures. With it, one or the other would always be able to find their other half. Some even thought that it was possible for the two to share their strengths over the link, allowing one to take the energy of the other in order to battle or heal.

That had been a problem that Miaka had spent centuries trying to overcome. She knew that if she captured a hikari, it would be in vain if the yami was alerted via the mind link. There was supposedly no force in all the realms that could severe such a link. So she had been forced to consider other possibilities. One had eventually come to her some time ago during her experiments when she realized something. Why bother to cancel something when it would be so much simpler just to repress it for a time?

Through countless experiments and efforts, Miaka had found just such a way. The spell had been a combination of dark magic and chemicals that she had gathered from other realms. Combining these, she had been able to create a single vial of the repressing agent. With so little, she would only be able to use it once. So she had waited until she had actually captured a Hikari to be sure that it could work. Seeing as how Yami had not yet come for Yugi that certainly had to be the case. Now all she had to do was land the final blow to bring out Yugi's power.

"I wouldn't try calling for your yami either. I know of the mental ties that your kind share with one another and took precautions to prevent you from using it. Not the easiest task to accomplish, but it's worth it if it keeps us from being interrupted," Miaka warned.

Yugi stared in her disbelief. His mind was racing wildly at her claim. She had to be lying. She just had to be. There was no possible way that she had the power to block the mental link between Yami and himself. The only ones who had that ability were the yami and hikari themselves. There was no way that an outside force could have that sort of power. No sort of magic that he had ever known was that strong.

"You're lying!" Yugi cried.

"Oh, am I now? Well, why don't you give it a try then and see for yourself? I so hate for my work to be questioned," Miaka taunted.

Without a second thought, Yugi did try to reach across the link. He met with a void that shouldn't have been there. It slammed against his own mind, dragging him down into murkiness similar to the one that he had been trapped in not so long ago. The more he tried the worse the sensation become. Even so, he kept this up as he was not able to accept the fact that he had truly been cut off from Yami.

Miaka spared Yugi a fleeting glance and smile as he continued to deny the reality before him. Then she turned back to her work, which still remained unseen to all eyes but her own. It was no consequence to her now anyway. She had accomplished what she had set out to do. Everything was set in motion now. If her theories proved right, then the power would begin building in Yugi at any time now. She would have to remain nearby so that she could closely monitor him and start the siphoning process right when the build up reached its peak.

All that was lost on Yugi who was a complete mess now. It took all he had for him not to completely break down under all the stress. The smile that she had given Yugi was a true parody if there ever was one. There was no warmth or sincerity behind that smile. Only a smug, mocking attitude that took pleasure in the plight that Yugi now suffered. His stomach twisted in knots as he thought of just what was being plotted behind those hateful eyes of hers. Nothing good, that was for certain.

How Yugi wished with all his heart and soul that he could break through whatever Miaka had used to block the link between him and Yami. Weak from the strained link and now the brutal treatment at Miaka's hands, Yugi knew that his strength was failing. He longed for the strong touch of Yami's mind right now. Despite everything that he had set out to accomplish, a part of him still desired the warmth and protection that could only be offered by his lover.

A contradiction many would claim and hypocritical of Yugi's actions up to this point. Yet that was not the case. While he had desired to prove himself to Yami and still did, there is a limit on such things. Having a goal and being foolish are two entirely different things. Yugi knew that a time came when one had to rely on the strength of others, especially when under stress or when one is in danger.

That is especially true when one is terrified, weakened and alone. It is not unusual that they would desire not only the strength but the familiar touch of a loved one. Someone who could help them through the pain and shield them from whatever dangers might come along. Anyone could feel that way, especially if they were in Yugi's present situation.

For all those desires, reality can be a brutal wake up call. Yugi knew that as much as he might want Yami here right, that he wasn't. The dark spirit had no idea where he was right now, save the sense to ferret out a general location at best. Now that he knew that Miaka had indeed blocked their link, Yugi wasn't even sure that that would work. For all he knew, whatever she had used on him might block more than just the mental link. It might have severed the tie between the two permanently.

Of course such an extent was out of the question. No matter how powerful another may be, there are just some things in the realms that are impossible to accomplish. Completely severing the link between light and darkness was one of them. Regardless of the circumstances or how strained things might become, the two forces are inevitably intertwined. One is always tied to the other and will follow even when the balance becomes uneven.

In his current panic though, Yugi didn't stop to consider this. He was still reeling from the fact that he couldn't contact Yami. It was true that he had been blocking the other for some time now, but that had been by choice. Never in all his existence had the ability to call out to the dark spirit been denied him by another. It was a fact that nearly sent the hikari over the edge in more ways than one.

"This can't be happening. It just can't," Yugi whispered to himself.

"But it is, little hikari, and I'm glad of it. Soon the real fun will begin and I'm so looking forward to it. Centuries of work will finally be brought to fruition and all thanks to you," Miaka said with acid sweetness.

A/N: Okay, this was incredibly short and even I think it's a load of bung. Still, it was better than nothing for the time being. I wanted to give a better idea of what Miaka was like without giving away too much of what she's after. Expect an edit of this chapter in the near future after I've gotten the next one up, which should be sometime in March.


	19. Never Doubt

Chapter 18: Never Doubt

A/N: Another missed deadline I know, but again, life sometimes takes precedence over pleasure. I'm currently in my last two semesters before graduation, so I've had to buckle down to finish up my courses. The Grant Writing course especially is kicking my butt right now. Trust me, if you want a class that will put you to sleep and make your brain hurt at the same time, that's the class for you. To make up for it, I've made this chapter super long. It's a bit rushed in some areas but I'll go back and fix that once the whole story's been written. So please enjoy the read and try not to aim too many torches at me for being late.

Even as everyone prepared to leave for what they knew would be the final search, Yami still tried to call out to his Hikari across the mind link. That was what he had been doing all this time, even if the others had remained unaware of that fact. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he met with the same results each time. There was only a void where Yugi's mind should have been. It left him even more on edge than before, nearly forcing him to abandon the others and blindly seek out the little one on his own. Only the words of Dark Magician and the goading of Kaiba kept him from doing so, though the human was still walking a dangerous line by that point.

Still it continued to keep him in check, even if only by the barest minimum. Using what Yami had been able to sense just after Yugi lost consciousness however, they did have an area where they would be searching. Monsters and humans would be dividing up into teams, hoping that by doing so they would be able to cover more ground and find Yugi sooner. A sense of dread was overcoming all the longer the light spirit's fate remained unknown to them.

Not everyone would be going on this rescue mission however. There were some that would have to remain behind either as backup or because the journey would prove too dangerous. The latter applied to Mokuba more than anyone else. As he was so young, neither human nor Monster had been willing to risk his safety on this last part of the mission. So despite the boy's very loud protests, he had been left behind under the care of Mystical Elf and a group of Kuriboh. He would remain their responsibility until the others returned with Yugi and would remain so should anything happen to the other humans.

Even if it meant ensuring his brother's safety, Kaiba had been unsure of the arrangement. There were few humans that he had ever trusted with Mokuba, let alone creatures that could tear the boy apart without a second thought. The urgency of the situation did little to shake this uncertainty from his mind. He tried hard not to show however, so as to keep his little brother and the others calm about the situation. It wouldn't do to lose his cool demeanor now after he had already stood up to a homicidal dark spirit and managed to survive intact. Besides, that's what loudmouths like Honda and Jou were for or so Kaiba privately thought. While he might not have said anything as they finally departed back to the human realm, those two certainly had. They were just smart enough to keep the questions confined to Monsters they knew wouldn't bite their heads off rather than get the whole group riled up.

"Are you sure Mokuba gonna be okay with those guys?" Honda asked as they approached another of the dark tunnels that led back to Earth.

"The boy will be fine. Even if circumstances were not as they are, that would still be the case. He is perhaps the only one of your number who does not have to fear our wrath," Dark Magician replied without sparing the teen a second glance.

They were part of the main group that would be following Yami. The dark spirit had taken the lead, with several Monsters following behind him. Dark Magician, Solitaire and the humans were bringing up the rear, having bid farewell to a still protesting Mokuba. Ahead of them, Yami walked as if he were unaware of anything else. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, mind closed to almost everything else as he continued to search for the link to Yugi.

"How come?" questioned Jou.

"Creatures born of the Shadows are destined to deal with the wicked and greedy of other realms. Should such a soul cross our path and fail the test presented, then they are ours to deal with as we see fit. It is not done out of cruelty as humans might see it, but balance. Light and dark must always be kept in check with one another," Dark Magician said," We Monsters can tell when there is a true innocent in our company however. Those are souls that we will never harm regardless of the situation, for they represent a light that is rarely found in our world. For that reason alone, the boy would have been safe even without Yami-sama's order."

He would not go into further detail beyond that though the humans did try to question both him and Solitaire. They had both shaken their heads, pointing out that it was better to focus on what was to come rather than other matters. A diversion that might have worked so well if they had not been on their way to help Yugi. If Dark Magician and Solitaire had said anything, it would reveal too much to the humans and enough of that had been done already. They had already been given more knowledge of other realms than their species was not meant to possess. A problem in some aspects but one that could not be changed now. At least they had proven loyal and were willing to help, even though many would see them more as a hindrance rather than actual allies.

Many still questioned exactly how the humans would be able to help them find Yugi. Humans were not like Monsters. They did not have any special abilities, any claws or fangs to help them fight with. Should they face anything with magical powers, they wouldn't stand a chance. Humans were just pathetic creatures that made interesting playthings when their souls proved to be foul and rotten to the core during a Shadow Game.

Regardless, there were still those that respected the humans for what they were attempting. The loyalty that they displayed towards Yugi and their friendship had a strong value in the eyes of the Shadow Realm residents. To them, it meant that these humans, while foolish and more than likely walking straight to their own deaths were brave creatures that would stand by their word. They were not cowards as many assumed their kind was. These at least, were worthy of notice and respect among the Monster ranks.

Their return journey to Earth had been a short one. That was a fact that the humans were grateful for. Their bodies just couldn't take the constant change that was natural for the Shadows to constantly go through. It left their stomachs queasy and the humans themselves feeling a bit on edge. Such was the result of coming into contact with what was otherwise an alien power.

Different tunnels had exited to various parts of the surrounding area. By doing so, it was hoped that the groups would be able to cover more ground and lead to a quicker discovery of Yugi's location. The place that they had come to was not one that any of the humans recognized, though they knew without a doubt that they were still on Earth. It was a deserted, rundown area that looked like it hadn't seen much activity in years. The buildings were old and crumbling, with Kaiba at least recognizing them as old factory buildings that were used in the early decades of the 20th century.

"What a dump," Honda muttered.

"That's an understatement," Anzu nodded.

"Yugi is here, somewhere," Yami said absently.

Those were the first words that he had spoken since they had left. He had continued to stay ahead of the others even after exiting the tunnel, always scanning the surrounding area. Still unable to pinpoint anything via the link, all he had to go on was the general feel of Yugi's light magic to go on. It was radiating out from the source but even then something was attempting to block that. There were powerful forces at work here, as he could now sense. A secondary power that he would have to be careful as there was no telling exactly how strong the source behind it actually was.

Even so, with knowing that Yugi was almost within reach, Yami knew that he would have to go forward. He surveyed the buildings before them. At first, the only entrances that he could spot were the windows that were high above their heads. While it would not be difficult for him or any of his servants to reach these places with the aid their magic, it was not a route he wanted to take. Doing so might alert someone to their presence here, if the vibration of shadow magic hadn't already done that.

That was not an element that Yami was willing to give up. Instead, he would rather choose something closer to ground level so that it would be easier for him to meet the enemy head on. Yes, despite having brought the loyal Monsters with him, Yami had already decided that he would be the one to face Yugi's captor. It was his right both as the hikari's lover and protector as well his duty those that dared to harm what was his.

In time, his eyes fell upon a doorway. It was partially obscured by the long shadows the building cast in the dying light of the afternoon. A stronger sense of Yugi's light magic was coming from that spot, meaning that he was either nearby or had recently passed through the portal. Either way it didn't matter to Yami. It was a point of entry and he would use it without hesitation.

Stepping forward, he gave no sign that he noticed the others. They too had been searching the area for a way in. Each of the humans had gone near the wall, the Monsters who had accompanied them searching alongside them. Only the Dark Magician had remained away from the others. Instead he had kept an eye on his master, waiting to see what the dark spirit would do. When he saw Yami move towards the doorway, that was all the answer he needed. All that remained to know was what Yami wanted the others to do now.

"Yami-sama?" Dark Magician asked as he came up behind his master.

Yami stopped for the briefest of instances. He had no desire to delay this any longer. He knew that he had to go on before anymore time was wasted. Still, he knew that he had to give some kind of order to keep things in check while he was gone. Even if it was only to ensure that there was no outside interference for the battle that he knew was about to take place.

"Let no one enter here once I have gone through. If anyone but myself or Yugi appears, destroy them on sight," Yami ordered.

Bowing his head, Dark Magician murmured," Yes Yami-sama."

With that, Yami turned and entered the doorway. Power crackled from within him as he instantly attacked whatever spells attempted to keep him out. While the trap spells were strong in nature, they were no match for the fury of the dark spirit. His powers batted them aside without hardly any notice. Any that might have caused trouble by seeking out new targets were repelled by the Monsters that had taken up guardianship of the entrance to the factory.

When Yami had entered the factory, Anzu and the guys hurried to follow. They had neither heard Yami's command to Dark Magician to keep watch nor were they aware of the dark powers that were emanating from within the building. All that they understood at the moment was that Yami had apparently found something and that if he had, then it would more than likely lead them to Yugi. Before they even got to the door way however, a certain pair of Monsters between themselves between the two.

"What are you doing? We can't just stand around. Yug's in there somewhere. He's gotta be if Yami's going in there," Jou protested.

"Yeah, why aren't you following him?" Anzu demanded.

"Because our role is fulfilled. Whatever happens now is out of our hands," Dark Magician said.

"Out of our…? You can't mean Yami's going in there to face that Miaka lady alone, do you?" Honda demanded.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, human," Dark Magician replied.

"No. Way. We've come too far to just sit on our butts. We said that we'd help find Yugi and that's what we're gonna do," Anzu insisted.

"Then you can help by doing what we say and help keep watch out here. This isn't our fight anymore, Anzu. We've come as far as we were meant to. Whatever happens after this, it's up to Yami-sama," Solitaire said.

"But…," Anzu protested.

"I said no. Staying here is the best thing that we can do. If any of us went, we'd just be in the way. Heck, there's no guarantee that we'd even make it back in one piece even if we did go," Solitaire insisted.

"Cause of that witch? I ain't scared of her," Jou snorted.

"It's not the witch you need to fear, human. It would be Yami-sama," Dark Magician warned.

"I thought we got passed the whole 'I'm a dark spirit and I'll destroy you' bit," Kaiba snorted.

"That's not the problem," Solitaire said.

"Indeed. Now that his light is so close, our Master will stop at nothing to reach him. His mind is too far gone now to consider any possibility. He would tear down anything that got in his way, even us," the spellcaster agreed.

For the humans, it was a hard fact to accept. They had come prepared to fight for their friend's safe return. Even Kaiba was of a like mind, though he would never openly admit to such a thing. To them, Yugi wasn't the other half of one's soul or a precious creature meant to be protected and revered. Yugi was their friend, plain and simple. He was in trouble and that meant that he needed them. At least, that's what they would have liked to believe was true.

This time, no matter what they felt, it wouldn't be enough as it had in the past. A time comes in life when even the greatest of best intentions are not enough to help a friend. When that happens, there is only one thing to be done and that is to step back so that events could take their course. In this case, that was staying behind and allowing Yami to go forward unheeded. If they truly wanted to ensure Yugi's return, that was all that they could do.

As with anything that dealt with the humans beyond their relationship with Yugi, if Yami had known of their intentions he wouldn't have cared. He cared only for finding Yugi. There was no thought beyond this as he walked deeper into the lair of his enemy. He was continually attacked by more of the spells that guarded this place. Each time, his own merely batted the attacking spells out of his path. It would clearly give his position away to the enemy, which was the exact opposite of what he had intended when he had first been searching for an entrance to this place.

That had changed the more he sensed of Yugi's light magic. What he felt was strong and viable, almost to the same degree as when he was in the same chamber as his beloved. For Yami, that was too much of a temptation for a mind that was existing almost on instinct by this time. Whatever common sense or strategy that he might have had had long since flown out the window. Now that he was so close to being with Yugi again, all that mattered was getting to him and taking the little one safely within his embrace once more.

Forcing away yet another defense spell, a kind of webbing that would have disintegrated any other creature caught in its hold, Yami at last came to the end of the corridor. There was no door to bar his way as it had on the outside. This time, it was an open portal that appeared as if it had been left that way for him. Oddly, there were no spells surrounding this spot as there had been on the journey here. Such a thing could only mean that he was expected and that this was a trap waiting to be sprung.

Yami paid no heed to whatever might come as he boldly stepped through the doorway. He stood at the top of a long staircase that led to a vast chamber below. The chamber that greeted him was a dismal place that was covered in shadows that his crimson gaze easily pierced. Whatever this place had once been, it had been totally transformed since Miaka had taken up residence. That much Yami could tell right off.

It was a laboratory filled with potions and equipment that were similar to ones that he had seen in Bakura and Marik's palaces at one point. Even he had such a place in his palace where he sometimes experimented with new spells and powers to ensure that he would be able to use them. Those he could have understood, but this place gave no such aura. There was a taint about the vials and instruments that made even a dark spirit want to wretch. A sort of madness that clung to everything like a second skin. Only one thing in the entire chamber escaped that classification and that was what drew Yami's full attention.

Whatever light was in this place was focused upon a single location. Just as he had been to the wall, Yugi was chained to a tilted platform near what could have been the center of the chamber. Inserted into his harms, shoulders, and upper torso were wires that were connected to an odd machine with a large clear canister on top that sat a short distance away. It was obvious that the hikari was trying to break free from his bonds, but these were weak at best. Yugi was showing obvious signs of exhaustion, his body covered in bruises and cuts that hadn't had the chance to even begin healing over yet.

Crimson eyes turned to pure flame when Yami saw this. Seeing Yugi like this was more than he could bear. Everything within him demanded that he go to the other immediately and take him away from this nightmare. Fear and rage reached a new level in him as he leaped from the doorway and down to the floor at the bottom of the stairs. He landed hard, never missing a step as he charged forward to come to his hikari's aid.

"Yugi!" Yami cried.

The instant the word left his mouth, the hikari wearily lifted his head to meet who was calling him. Eyes that had long since lost their sparkle immediately began to show signs of improvement the instant Yugi saw the dark spirit racing towards him. If he had been able to, he would have smiled in joy at seeing the other. The most he could offer was a feeble sigh of relief before he tried to speak himself.

"Y-yami," Yugi whispered.

"I'm here, little one. Just…," Yami began.

He was cut short as he bounced off an invisible barrier that was barely a few feet from where Yugi was chained. Yami fell back in shock upon the stone floor of the chamber. A little disoriented, he quickly rose to his feet again, hands out as he tried to make sense of what had happened. He was met with a solid wall that kept him from his goal. Behind the barrier, he could see as shock also fell over Yugi's face as tears filled his eyes at the realization of what had happened.

"Yugi!" Yami cried, pounding on the barrier as he futilely sent wave after wave of shadow magic to open a path.

"I wouldn't be wasting my energy like that if I were you. This is a special barrier I made just in case we had any uninvited guests," a voice said from the shadows.

Turning with a snarl, Yami growled," Show yourself, witch. You will not keep me from him."

"And who says that I'm going to give him back to you, yami?" Miaka asked, her voice seeming to float from every direction," I went to a lot of trouble to get this little wretch and I'm not going to just give him back. That would just be a waste of my time, you know."

"Give him back, NOW!" Yami ordered.

"Temper, temper. You yamis really do need to learn how to control yourselves better. It's a wonder that your stupid little hikaris can stand you at all. If they were smart, they'd drop you like a bad habit," she teased.

By now, Miaka had appeared within the barrier with Yugi. She wore the same sneer on her face that she had had earlier when taunting the hikari. He visibly shuddered at her presence, a fact that didn't escape the witch. Miaka openly smirked at him before turning her full attention back to Yami.

"Release my hikari now, witch. Your battle lies with me, not him," Yami demanded.

"And again, that would be a waste of my time. I have use for this whimpering little brat and I intend to go through with it. You're free to watch of course. I would find that quite amusing," Miaka said.

She turned away from Yami and headed towards the machine. When she waved her hand over the main console, the machine instantly leapt to life. It groaned and whined for a moment before heading into full function. The wires that connected it to Yugi began to glow a sickly yellow color that spread down the length of the wires. When the glow reached Yugi, he let out a piercing scream that echoed throughout the building. He began to struggle violently as the glow began to spread over him. Within seconds, the sickly glow was replaced by a white radiance that slowly began to filter from Yugi back to the machine.

The radiance ran from the machine into the large canister that sat on top. At first, nothing could be seen within the canister. Then, a sparkle could be seen near the opening at the bottom. As the seconds ticked by, the sparkle became more definite as it took on the white coloring of the radiance draining out of Yugi. A wide, evil grin spread over Miaka's face as she watched while horror overcame Yami was he watched Yugi continue to struggle in pain.

"NO! Yugi! What are you doing to him?!" Yami shrieked.

He once again began to throw shadow magic at the barrier as well as physically charging at it in an attempt to break through. The more he tried though, the more obvious that it became that Yami's struggles were in vain. As Miaka had said, she had designed this barrier for a special purpose. It fed upon shadow magic and the more that Yami cast upon it, the stronger the barrier became. Soon, while it would not drain all of Yami's power, it would take enough to weaken him. Which was exactly the moment that Miaka was waiting for as she continued to wait Yami struggle and scream to get to Yugi.

"Oh nothing too serious. I'm only draining away his power. Such a gift is wasted on a weak minded Hikari. I could easily put it to better use, so I'm just taking it. Of course, the process will probably kill the little wretch but that's no concern of mine," Miaka shrugged.

Hearing this, Yami went wild. He had become a wild animal now. Not only was he throwing every bit of shadow magic that he had at the barrier, but he was literally trying to claw his way through even as he threw himself against it. Yugi's creams goaded him on even further, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else. That was all the chance that Miaka needed.

"Then again, why bother with a hikari when I have a yami ripe for the picking instead? Yours power will be of far more use to me than his ever could," Miaka smirked.

She chanted, moving her hands in the necessary pattern to complete the spell. As she did, the wires that had been draining Yugi suddenly pulled themselves out of him. He let out a final scream before slumping heavily against the platform where he lay. Every part of him ached in ways that he didn't think was imaginable. It was unbearable to the point that Yugi nearly fell unconscious from shock. The only thing keeping him from into such an oblivion were Yami's enraged and pleading screams.

No longer bound to Yugi, Miaka instead directed the wires to a new target. She had no trouble creating openings through the barrier for the wires to pass through. These then shot into Yami's body, crashing into with incredible force. He was knocked by midstride, pain shooting through him as the vile things began to take root. For a moment, he struggled to free himself but it was of little use. Now that she had him, Miaka no longer had reason to keep up her barrier. Rather, she let this drop while she instead focused her attention on keeping Yami in place as the wires began to drain the shadow magic from the dark spirit.

From where he lay, Yugi could only watch as he his would be rescuer instead became the victim. It was heartbreaking in so many ways to see such a proud and mighty creature falling to such a fate. Agony spread not only through Yugi's heart but his soul as well. This was not how things were meant to be. He was so close, but all he could do was watch as Yami was destroyed in his place. There wasn't even the comfort of being able to help him across the length, to give him the strength and support he could use to fight this off.

_{It can't end this way. It just can't. I want to help you, Yami, but you can't even hear me} _Yugi sobbed, even though he knew it was impossible for the other to hear.

_Little…one? Hi-hikari…_ Yami whispered.

It was strained, barely noticeable through the grief. Yet it was still there. Somehow, in that moment of grief, their bond had managed to reach one another. There were nowhere near the strength that they had used in the past but that didn't matter. To Yugi, that was the spark of hope that he needed right now. It meant that they were still connected. Somehow, they could still fight. They couldn't give up. Not yet, not when it meant that they could lose each other.

"No, no. **NO**!" Yugi screamed.

Every fiber within his small being reacted on a combination of pure instinct, adrenaline, and fear. There was no way in all the realms that he would ever allow the fate that Miaka planned to befall his beloved Yami. What had happened between them before didn't matter anymore. It was petty and stupid. What mattered now was the life of the one who he loved more than his own existence. Even if it cost him everything he had, Yugi knew that he would give it without question if it would save Yami.

Power that he had thought drained by Miaka's spells rushed to the surface in an incalculable rush. It was like being caught in a tidal wave yet being able to direct what path it took. As more and more power began to flow through him, Yugi truly revealed that he was indeed a light spirit. It took on an ethereal glow that made him appear as a ghostly creature that was composed entirely of energy.

The chains that had held him in place strained under the pressure that was now placed upon them. It was obvious that the spells that Miaka had placed upon them were fighting to stay in place. They shuddered and quaked, as if struggling to just stay alive. In this battle of wills however, Yugi would prove to be the stronger. Regardless of the pain, he allowed his power to push itself out even further. That was the breaking point as the chains suddenly burst under the assault that the light had placed upon them.

No longer held up by the chains, Yugi briefly stumbled from the lack of support. He fell to his knees, using his hand to keep himself from falling completely. If he had any other choice, he would have allowed himself to just fall upon the stone floor. It sent chills deep into his bones just to have it touching his bare flesh but that wouldn't have mattered. The strain that he had just faced was taking its toll on his body and he was steadily feeling the effects even now.

Heart and soul screamed against such an action though. The power that he had gathered within him would not be ignored now. Its other half was in danger and for once, the darkness needed protection that only the light could give. As unsteady as he was, Yugi forced himself to his feet. Still struggling to hold himself up even then, he forced back the pain and instead focused his attention on Miaka.

For the time being, the witch had been ignoring him. Instead she had focused her attention on keeping Yami bound. Even if she had managed to catch him, that didn't mean he was going to take such treatment lying down. His own powers were still trying to fight against Miaka's spells even as he was steadily being drained of shadow magic. As such, she literally didn't know what hit her until it was too late.

Yugi gave no warning as he unleashed a full blast of light magic upon the witch. Such a thing might have given her a chance to counterattack. While a hikari might strive for balance, there are times when even they will act in desperation. For Yugi, there was no question that this was one of those times. He poured everything that he had into that blast. The force knocked Miaka cleaned across the room, sending her nearly through the opposite wall itself as she was knocked away from Yami.

Without Miaka to control it, the machine ceased its draining of Yami. For the moment, the wires still remained in place. Thankfully, no lasting damage had been done to him from the draining process. He would be weak for a time but eventually the dark spirit would recover.

It was done. With that final surge of power, Yugi had done it. By breaking free from Miaka's spell, he had prevented her from trying to sap Yami's powers as she had planned do to him. Though he was in great pain and felt as if his mind were about to split apart, to Yugi it didn't matter. So long as Yami was okay, that was enough for him. He could live with whatever happened after. With those thoughts in mind, he slumped forward and gave into the darkness yet again. Within seconds he fell into blissful semi-consciousness as he landed on the cold floor below.

For Yami, seeing Yugi fall seemed to happen in slow motion. He tried to rush forward to catch his beloved but was unable to at first due his still weakened state and the wires that were still connected with his body. Yami could only watch Yugi landed with a dull thud onto the cold stone floor. Dust flew into the air from where he had landed and that was the only reaction surrounding the hikari. Beyond that, he lay completely motionless and still. The implication of which would not have settled well even in more moderate situations.

"YUGI!" Yami screeched.

He forced himself to move despite the numbness that still lingered in his limbs from the binding spell. Yami even ignored the pain of the wires as they were pulled from his body as he moved forward. Scrambling across the floor, Yami moved to the hikari's side within an instant. Shaking hands frantically gripped at the tattered clothes that Yugi wore as he tried to turn the smaller over to face him. The sight that met him was one that sent his heart reeling. Once vibrant amethyst orbs were now dull and almost lifeless as Yugi stared out through partial closed eyes. His skin was deathly pale, making him seem almost similar to a human corpse than the light spirit that he actually was. Bruises littered his body where he had been roughly handled by Miaka and her servants. Dried blood still flaked off his cut and torn wrists from where he had tried to fight the chains that had held him only seconds before.

In all, it was a sight that would haunt Yami for the rest of eternity. This was not how things were supposed to be. Hikaris were creatures of light and happiness. Their eyes were meant to be filled with the simple of joy of just being alive, the admiration and love that they felt for their darker halves. They were never meant to know the least bit of pain or suffering. Such a thing was just incomprehensible.

Clutching the prone figure to him, Yami sobbed," Yugi! My Yugi! Please, little one, speak to me. Please!"

His pleas were enough to break even the stone heart of Kaiba Seto had he been present to witness such a thing. As such, the only witness to this was the one who had brought about such a tragedy and sympathy was the last thing on her mind. Miaka was watching the scene with growing interest. She had been thrown back by Yugi's final outburst, left stunned for several seconds while light and dark were finally reunited. What she had witnessed was beyond her wildest expectations of what Yugi was capable of. If that was his true power, then she had indeed chosen well when she had captured him. Now all that remained was to harness that power before he could try a second time.

"So the little beast has some sharp claws after all. I never dreamed he held such power," Miaka panted as she staggered to her feet.

Her poorly chosen words and timing snapped Yami out of the panic that he felt as he tried to rouse some kind of response from Yugi. An almost guttural sound escaped his throat as he spared the witch a halfway glance. Instinctively, he pulled Yugi closer to his own body as he sought to shelter the other from Miaka's prying gaze. Crimson eyes went to mere slits as he took in the hungry gaze that she dared to look upon his hikari with.

"His power is no concern of yours," Yami hissed," He is mine."

"For the moment, maybe. But I don't think you're strong enough to handle me, dark one. Not if it took your precious little light to save you from my spells," Miaka sneered.

Yami growled at that accusation. He didn't like to admit it, but it was true that he had been caught off guard. The dark spirit had been so focused on getting to Yugi that he had let his defenses down for the briefest instant. That had been all Miaka's spells needed to get passed his own magic and take control. It was a mistake that surely would have cost them all had Yugi not found the final bit of strength to save his lover.

"Well, we'll soon see how much you both can take. It would be a waste not to examine such power before adding it to my own," Miaka said.

"You will not touch what is mine again, witch!" Yami bellowed.

"How can he possibly be considered yours when you obviously took such poor measures to ensure his safety? If you really cared about him, you would have kept him under lock and key like the other yamis. At least they had brains enough to set traps while you just left your hikari alone and defenseless," Miaka sneered.

That was the last straw. Something deep within the dark spirit snapped completely. Sanity no longer held a place in the once keen mind of Yami after hearing that. Now all that remained was the instinct to protect his hikari at any cost. If anything got in his way, then he would destroy it without remorse. And at the moment, that happened to be the Sorceress Miaka.

A familiar symbol began to glow upon his forehead, taking the shape of a blazing golden eye. It shone fiercely, pulsing as it had done so many times before in the past as Yami called upon some of his deepest powers. It was not often that he called upon this ability outside of his own realm. There was no need to as the enemies who warranted such an action had grown few and far between through the long eons. Now though, Yami would not hesitate as he turned his gaze upon Miaka.

Shadow magic pulsing through him with such intensity that the energy practically crackled from deep within his body, almost forming a second skin. Gathering the power to its fullest, Yami pointed towards the witch. The gesture was unnecessary as it had no affect whatsoever on the powers that Yami was calling upon. He could act simply by looking at Miaka. The sole reason he acted thus was to let her know that she was his only target from this moment on. There was nothing that would save her from her fate, as he was about to personally ensure.

Too late did Miaka realize the folly of her bold words and overconfidence as Yami began to focus his powers upon her. She had been relishing in the fact that she had found a way to overcome what was supposedly one of the strongest forces in all the realms. A feat which had never before been accomplished by anyone else. That and the thought of the power that she could gain from this had left her gloating in what she would soon do. That was one of the mistakes that would now cost her more dearly than she could have ever imagined.

"_**MIND CRUSH!!"**_Yami screeched.

No words could possibly ever describe the pain and anguish that Miaka felt in those first few seconds. Needless to say it was a sight that no mortal creature could have watched and left with their sanity intact. She raised her head, mouth open in a silent scream as the dark powers released upon her by Yami began to take their full effect. Miaka could literally feel as her soul was being eaten away, torn from its physical shell and taken to a realm from which it would never return. Within seconds, her eyes were more dull and empty than Yugi's as her body slumped lifelessly to the floor. A sure sign if any that her soul was gone and that that was truly the end of things.

Never again would Miaka, Witch of the Abyss, rise to attack another. For eternity, her soul had been banished to the bowels of the Shadow Realm where it would rot away as the shadows endlessly fed upon it. What tortures her soul would face as this came about, no one could truly say. All that is certain is that it was an ending that the Fates had decreed long ago if this was the path that Miaka chose. For by attempting to go against the natural order of the realms and destroying what was meant to keep balance, it was inevitable that this is the outcome that Miaka would face.

For others though, that was a concern that no longer mattered. Yami had dealt out the final punishment, thus ensuring that Yugi would never again face such a foe again. Now all that mattered was the one before him. A single, almost strangled cry of despaired joy escaped Yami as he once again gathered his limp hikari into his arms and held him close. He buried his face deep into the tangled mass of Yugi's hair, deeply breathing in the scent of the little one. That alone sent his heightening senses into overdrive. It was all that he could do to keep a grip on himself and not start to ravish his injured hikari on the spot. But he held himself in check, instead satisfying himself with knowing that his beloved was safely back in his arms where he belonged.

Yugi knew instinctively not to try and squirm free of his counterpart's tight embrace. If he tried, then Yami would only hug him tighter and thus restrict his movement even further. Instead, it was better to just remain as he was, allowing Yami to hold him for as long as he felt necessary. Not that Yugi really would have complained even if he were uncomfortable in their present position.

In his present condition, he was really too weak to do much of anything mental or physical. The best that he could manage mental whimper that even Yami could barely hear. And even that took such a great deal of energy that it almost brought Yugi to the brink of unconsciousness. But it was enough to let his darkness know that he was still alive and that he was needed.

_{Don't leave me} _Yugi whimpered weakly.

Yami held him more tightly at these words, if that was even possible. A myriad of emotions was battling within him when he heard those words. Part of him was relieved beyond belief that his hikari was still somewhat conscious and aware of Yami's presence, while another was outraged that he had been left in such a weakened state. How could anyone ever be so heartless as to treat someone as innocent as Yugi as if they were no more than a plaything to be torn apart and tossed aside?

It was more than enough that it made Yami wish that he had not already shattered that worthless bitch Miaka's soul. If he hadn't, then he would have the chance torture her as she deserved. For every mark that she had put on his hikari, he would triple them and the pain that had followed. He wanted her to suffer so much more for what she had done to his hikari.

What he desired was impossible though. Once a yami banished someone to the Shadows, there was no hope of reversing the effects. The being was permanently sealed away into the bowels of the Shadow Realm and there was nothing that could ever release them, even one who was native to the Realm to begin with. So the best that Yami would have to satisfy himself with knowing that Miaka would spend the rest of eternity drifting through the darkness having her soul continually torn apart. She would never again be free to terrorize any other innocent hikari as she had done to his Yugi.

Miaka didn't matter anymore though. With her banishment, she would soon become a bad memory that everyone involved would try to forget. That was perhaps for the best. For the crime she had attempted to commit was not one that could be so easily forgiven even if there were those that felt pity for her fate. What mattered now was Yugi. The little one was shivering fiercely even within the warmth and protection of Yami's embrace.

_Never, little hikari. I'm never letting you out of my sight again _Yami swore fiercely.

There was no further response from Yugi. His mind remained quiet and unresponsive as it already sought to repair the damage that had been done it by the recent memories of pain and torture. Yami expected this however, as he could already sense as the damage was being repaired. He even tried to help in his own way by lending what energy he could to his lover's dwindling powers. As drained as Yami was right now, it was not much but it would help speed the process nonetheless. And for him, anything that helped his light to heal mattered more than his own wellbeing at this point.

A/N: There is it, folks. Yugi's saved, Yami got his hikari back, the psycho lady is gone forever, and all is right with the world. That's not the end though. I have a few more chapters planned to wrap things up. So be ready for more updates in the coming months. Later.


End file.
